Another day of filming had wrapped up, and in the evening, the crew members were buzzing with discussion. It seemed everyone already knew about the romance between Yu Luobai and Ji Xiaonian.
Throughout the entire day, even without mentioning Ji Xiaonian's behavior, Yu Luobai's actions made it glaringly obvious that he might as well have had "I'm in a relationship" written on his forehead.
Director Xiao moved swiftly, immediately calling a small meeting and instructing the crew and extras not to leak any information about the film set.
Everyone in the industry had seen far more scandalous things than just a top star dating someone. Although the news would shake the internet when revealed, professional ethics still had to be maintained, and what shouldn't be said would be kept under wraps.
On Peng He's side, he had already gone out for a late-night snack with He Yi. He was alright, being an experienced agent well-versed in handling romantic publicity and controlling public opinion.
However, He Yi was worried. She recalled when Ji Xiaonian was dating Cheng Liran, and their relationship was exposed, the public opinion was entirely one-sided, with Ji Xiaonian taking all the blame.
The main reason Ji Xiaonian was severely criticized back then was that she was deemed unworthy of Cheng Liran, having no works or achievements to her name, while the disparity between their statuses was too vast.
This time with Yu Luobai, not to mention his background, but just his status as the top idol in the entertainment industry put him far above Cheng Liran's level.
Although Ji Xiaonian now had her own works, songs she had personally performed, she was still considered the one without any major projects, as her TV series hadn't been aired yet, and her movie was still filming.
He Yi grew increasingly concerned, recalling the incident where Ji Xiaonian had attempted suicide due to love. That scene, that image, she could never forget the bloodied bathtub.
Deep down, she sincerely hoped that this time, Ji Xiaonian wouldn't be hurt too deeply, or better yet, that their relationship would remain blissful.
"Has Yu Luobai really never dated before?" He Yi asked apprehensively, considering how outstanding he was.
Peng He didn't know why she brought up that topic but still smiled, "Yes, hahaha, I was the one who discovered and nurtured him when he entered the industry. He's truly never been interested in women."
He Yi felt relieved. That made sense since Yu Luobai had never been involved in any scandals.
Come to think of it, it seemed Cheng Liran was also... without any rumors or dating interests, never really pursuing women...
"Sigh, I was initially quite happy about her dating, but now I'm really worried," He Yi said with a sigh as she watched the man across from her studying the menu.
"Worried about what?" Peng He asked with a smile.
"I'm afraid our sister will get hurt. Even if she does, I'm more afraid she'll be as reckless as before." He Yi frowned with concern.
Peng He raised his eyebrows, that was quite a loaded statement. Reckless? What did that mean?
"Reckless?" Peng He asked in puzzlement.
He Yi froze, then realizing she had almost let something slip, quickly shook her head and said, "It's nothing. Let's focus on how you plan to release the statement."
Peng He didn't dwell on it, understanding she was changing the subject, and smiled, "I've already called the company team this afternoon. They suggest not making it public for now, as that would better protect the woman involved."
He Yi nodded in full agreement, "I thought the same."
"But I know my old friend will definitely disagree," Peng He shook his head, no need to even think about it, Yu Luobai would certainly want to go public.
"Then what do we do?" He Yi asked with concern.
"Well, there's another option, but it's risky," Peng He poured himself a cup of tea and continued, "Wait until the movie finishes filming, then announce the relationship publicly. After that, they can join the hottest dating reality show and focus on flaunting their affection to get fans to support their pairing."
"But if the fans don't buy into it, they'll be heavily criticized," He Yi shook her head, not too supportive of that idea. "A dating reality show is still a live broadcast type of program. I'm afraid something might go wrong."
"Ji Xiaonian actually suits variety shows quite well. Didn't she and Shen Shuyao become a huge hit before?"
Peng He rather liked this option. Besides, with Yu Luobai's willingness to spend money, they could always pay to get negative posts deleted if things went south, or hire marketing accounts to control the narrative.
In any case, the relationship had to be made public, it was just a matter of when.
"I thought you were more sensible than that," He Yi scoffed at him. "That plan is too direct and crude. I suggest they keep their relationship under wraps."
"Instead of us worrying here, why don't we ask the parties involved? Yu Luobai is definitely not going to want to keep it secret; he'd love for the whole world to know," Peng He laughed.
Thinking about Ji Xiaonian's nonchalant attitude, how she used to be saddened by criticism to the point of tears, yet now seemed completely indifferent, He Yi wasn't sure if it was genuine apathy or just an unwillingness to show her emotions.
"Sigh, we're just wasting our breath here," He Yi said in exasperation.
"What's with that tone? Isn't it nice to unwind over a late-night snack?" Peng He smiled as the server brought over the grilled meat skewers they had ordered, passing a beef skewer to He Yi.
Meanwhile, at the film set, Ji Xiaonian had just finished removing her makeup and changing clothes.
Yu Luobai, ever the gentleman, waited nearly half an hour before seeing the woman emerge from the dressing room, looking a bit weary.
As the weather grew cooler, she was wearing a pink sweater paired with light blue skinny jeans, and as always, her signature white sneakers, giving off a student vibe.
Compared to her glamorous appearance while filming, this was the complete opposite - a pure and modest look.
"I ordered some food. Are you hungry?" Yu Luobai asked warmly, his hand naturally holding hers.
Ji Xiaonian's hand was still cool from washing it with cold water earlier, and she felt the warmth of his palm, using her other hand to grasp his as well.
"Teacher Yu, your hands are so warm," Ji Xiaonian said in wonder, holding his hand tightly.
Yu Luobai felt her hand was ice-cold for the first time, furrowing his brow in concern, "Are you cold?"
Ji Xiaonian shook her head, "No, I'm okay. I just touched some cold water earlier."
Yu Luobai used both hands to warm hers for a while, then said, "It's cold outside tonight, let's head back."
"Okay," Ji Xiaonian obediently nodded, and he naturally put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
The staff members secretly watched until their figures disappeared from the set before finally exploding with excitement.
"Oh my god, so sweet!" an excited crew member exclaimed.
"Yu Luobai helped Ji Xiaonian warm her hands, I'm so jealous of those hands!"
"I can't believe we're actually the first batch to know about their relationship."
"I'm so looking forward to them going public."
"Ji Xiaonian seems like a good person too, treating everyone with courtesy and not acting like a diva."
"Yeah, I was indifferent towards her initially, but then realized she's genuinely nice."
Once outside the set, night had fallen, and since the filming location wasn't in a bustling area, the path was mostly deserted.
Yu Luobai's gaze was fixed on Ji Xiaonian, a hint of a smile in his eyes, feeling an immense sense of contentment. So this was what being in a relationship felt like.
Ji Xiaonian turned to him and asked, "Teacher Yu, why are you keep staring at me?"
Then she uncertainly touched her own face, wondering if she had missed a spot while removing her makeup.
"We'll stay together forever, right?" Yu Luobai looked at her with a gentle expression.
Ji Xiaonian looked up, and in the dim streetlight, she saw his incredibly tender gaze, like a swirling vortex continuously drawing her in.
