But it had to be said — this move of Liang Yan’s, acting first and reporting later, was remarkably effective. Before long, the two of them had vanished from the trending topics entirely.

Qiao Qi hadn’t cooperated either, only giving that post of his a like before quickly ignoring the whole online affair.

The interview was scheduled in Hu City. Because of work or family addresses, the others were arriving the day before or the day of, but Qiao Qi didn’t feel she had anything special keeping her elsewhere, so she went two days early.

While there, she took the chance to visit Maiya at the hospital.

Maiya had been doing quite well lately, had made new friends, but every so often she’d still get upset about something.

When upset, she wouldn’t say why — she’d just curl up in a corner and sulk on her own.

Hearing this from Tong Shuqu, Qiao Qi found it amusing. She leaned against a pillar in the little garden’s pavilion, smiling as she watched Maiya in the distance.

“Might be she’s got a secret now. Growing up,” Tong Shuqu teased.

Qiao Qi laughed out loud. “Isn’t that a bit early to have secrets?”

“Not that young, really — don’t tell me you didn’t have secrets at her age?” Tong Shuqu looked at Qiao Qi, smiling. “Surely not?”

Qiao Qi actually gave it some genuine thought. By the time she was Maiya’s age, she’d already been at the orphanage for several years. Counting back carefully, that would’ve been about three years or so after Sister Rainbow left. If there was any “secret” to speak of, it would probably be the promise between her and Sister Rainbow.

Children were always the most faithful keepers of promises in the world.

“Ah, so there is one.” Tong Shuqu said.

Qiao Qi smiled, and in the blink of an eye tucked all her feelings away. She kept watching Maiya in the distance. “If there is, there is.”

She showed no intention of elaborating, and Tong Shuqu, quite politely, didn’t press further, even thoughtfully steering the conversation toward a new topic.

But no matter how the two of them talked, the conversation kept circling back to Maiya. Just as they were deep in it, a little girl suddenly appeared from somewhere — no one knew where — and said something to Maiya, who puffed up her cheeks in anger, tears trembling at the edge of her eyes, stubbornly refusing to let them fall.

Qiao Qi’s expression changed instantly. She hurried over in long strides and pulled the child behind her, looking down at the little girl with a decidedly unfriendly expression.

Qiao Qi’s features were sharp and clearly defined, her lines crisp; having lost several pounds during the long shoot without a break, her already well-defined jaw looked even sharper and thinner now.

It made her look considerably less approachable than usual.

Especially with the distinctly displeased aura she was giving off right now.

A child was still a child, after all — the moment she saw an adult’s cold expression, she panicked immediately.

Qiao Qi studied the little girl for a long moment, then turned and crouched down to be at eye level with Maiya, her expression serious, her tone earnest. “What happened? What’s going on?”

Maiya bit her lip and said nothing.

Qiao Qi didn’t push her, just watched her quietly.

The little girl tried to seize the chance to slip away. Qiao Qi spoke up: “Who said you could leave?”

With her expression cold, Qiao Qi’s features looked even sharper and more defined, stiff enough to be genuinely frightening.

The little girl burst into tears at once. Not daring to talk back to Qiao Qi, she sobbed and instead turned to accuse Maiya. “You went and tattled to an adult!”

“I’m not an adult,” Qiao Qi said. “I’m her friend.”

Hearing this, Maiya immediately stopped putting on a brave front. She threw her arms around Qiao Qi’s neck, tears splattering down in aggrieved little drops. “Princess Seven, waaah, they keep saying bad things about you! Saying you only became a big star because you’re vain, and only bad women are vain, but you’re not a bad woman.”

“Who said she’s vain! I only said I don’t like her! Who told her to take pictures with my husband!”

“……………?”

Qiao Qi was speechless. She looked at the little girl in front of her, who couldn’t be more than ten years old, and asked, not entirely convinced she’d heard right: “What did you say? Your… husband?”

“That’s right! Liang Yan is my husband!”

Qiao Qi: “……………”

So this was two kids, neither of whom had even hit adulthood yet, fighting offline over their respective idols?

Marvelous.

So marvelous, in fact, that Qiao Qi couldn’t help blurting it out during the interview the next day.

The interview was conducted separately, and naturally Qiao Qi was paired with Liang Yan. Hearing this story, not just the media staff but even Liang Yan himself was stunned.

“Seriously?” Liang Yan asked.

Qiao Qi recalled the scene and still couldn’t help feeling exasperated. “Do I really need to make up a story here for you?”

Liang Yan blanked for a good few seconds before saying, very earnestly: “A fan like that isn’t good for anyone. Should I just expel her from the fan club?”

Dog talking dog nonsense.

Qiao Qi didn’t even want to bother with him.

Liang Yan went on: “But she’s still just a kid after all — I’ll get her a signed photo later, you can have Maiya give it to her. No more fighting next time.”

Qiao Qi, momentarily at a loss for a comeback, finally responded with a faint smile after being met with his sincere, innocent gaze. “Thanks, then.”

“No problem.”

Qiao Qi turned her gaze away, expression blank, refusing to look at this particular idol for even a second.

But the media crew certainly weren’t going to let such a golden opportunity slip by. They pressed Liang Yan with a whole string of questions about the relationship between fans and idols. Liang Yan gave his usual explanation, and once he was done, the media asked: “Would you mind sharing your standards for choosing a partner, then?”

Qiao Qi and Liang Yan both turned to look at the interviewer at the same time, their expressions more or less saying: please explain to me the logical connection between those two questions.

But with the cameras rolling, Liang Yan couldn’t very well refuse to answer, and he himself seemed rather eager to answer the question earnestly anyway.

So, sitting less than an arm’s length from him, Qiao Qi clearly heard Liang Yan say:

“I’ve made it pretty clear on Weibo — I really don’t want to date anyone in the industry. Mainly because if both people have the same career, life just gets kind of boring. And you know how it is in this line of work — if both partners are doing this, you inevitably end up apart more than together, which isn’t good for building a relationship.”

Qiao Qi couldn’t help cutting in: “You’re already in the industry. No matter what your partner does, the two of you would still be apart more than together. Are you saying you’d want your partner to be a full-time housewife, then?”

Liang Yan shot back: “What’s wrong with that? I can afford to support her.”

Qiao Qi gave a cold laugh, then turned to the interviewer. “Don’t cut this part — I want to know what the netizens think of that line.”

Liang Yan, prompted by her comment, immediately caught on and started backpedaling. “That’s not what I meant, I don’t mean I want to strip her of her career, I—” Liang Yan, uncharacteristically flustered, turned to glare at Qiao Qi. “Are you doing this on purpose! Trying to make my fans jealous, is that it!”

Qiao Qi remained perfectly composed, continuing to the interviewer: “Don’t cut this part either.”

Liang Yan: “…I’m sorry, my bad. That’s really not what I meant just now. Please don’t air it, please don’t — if you air it, I might as well just go ahead and end it all.”

“So what did you mean, then?” The media crew clearly had no intention of letting Liang Yan off the hook that easily.

Liang Yan glared at Qiao Qi again, wordlessly: this is all your fault! Shut it, dammit!

Qiao Qi shrugged innocently.

If not for the obvious smugness on her face, Liang Yan might actually have believed she was innocent.

In the end, it took a lengthy explanation from Liang Yan himself to move the topic along, with the media crew promising they’d cut an appropriate segment for release.

The last topic before wrapping up was about Qiao Qi’s own dating standards. Hearing this, Liang Yan perked up with interest, sitting sideways in his chair to watch Qiao Qi with great anticipation.

Clearly enjoying the show a bit too much.

Qiao Qi thought it over and said: “As you all know, I don’t have much formal education and haven’t experienced a whole lot, so I probably couldn’t handle someone who lives abroad most of the time.”

“Oh, and also — I’m probably not suited for someone in an elite professional field either, mainly because we wouldn’t have much in common to talk about.”

Something felt slightly off to Liang Yan listening beside her, though he couldn’t quite pin down what exactly.

Finally, as the interview wrapped, the two of them left together, and Liang Yan, after much internal deliberation, still couldn’t help asking: “Sum up your dating standards for me — I feel like I didn’t quite catch it?”

“Is that so.” Qiao Qi glanced at him, expression flat, tone offhand. “What use would it be to you even if you understood it?”

Fair enough.

Good point.

So Liang Yan quietly shut his mouth and instead strode over to his manager to get a signed photo.

Only then did Qiao Qi remember what he’d said earlier. Without thinking, she walked over to Liang Yan and reached out for it, but Liang Yan glanced at her and stuffed the signed photo into his own pocket.

“What?” he asked.

Qiao Qi: “?”

“Wasn’t that supposed to go to your girlfriend-fan?”

“Since she’s specifically a girlfriend-fan, of course I have to deliver it personally,” Liang Yan said, already striding forward.

Qiao Qi blinked, and a few seconds later hurried to catch up. “What do you mean? You’re going to the hospital?”

“Not allowed?” Liang Yan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Caught off guard, Qiao Qi walked straight into his back, her nose stinging as she sucked in a sharp breath.

Liang Yan hadn’t expected her to crash into him either. He frowned and reached to grab her wrist — the difference in their strength was so great that the hand Qiao Qi had clapped over her nose was pried away with ease.

Liang Yan suddenly leaned in close, examining her nose carefully, brow slightly furrowed, looking somewhat put out.

At that close distance, Qiao Qi could practically make out every one of Liang Yan’s eyelashes, thick and naturally curled and upturned without any need for mascara.

With every blink of those lashes, it was as if a feather, light as air, brushed against the tip of Qiao Qi’s heart.

Without meaning to, Qiao Qi held her breath, staring at him unblinking, entirely absorbed.

Until Liang Yan spoke: “You managed to walk into me like that? Are you trying to fake an injury or something?”

Qiao Qi: “…”

All those fluttery thoughts vanished instantly. She smacked his hand away and, dropping four words, said only: “None of your business.”

Then she walked off without another word.

Left behind, Liang Yan clicked his tongue softly. Catching people nearby glancing over, he swept his gaze around once, coughed with exaggerated casualness, and said, “This kid’s got no manners.”

The people nearby: “…”

You’re the one who wrecked the whole mood, aren’t you, Teacher Liang.

But Teacher Liang himself didn’t think there was anything wrong with him at all — in fact, he was in high enough spirits to text his official girlfriend right after.

Liang: Your idol just did an interview, looks like. Liang: Should air in about two weeks. Liang: Make sure to watch it. Liang: Don’t blame me for not giving you a heads-up.

Of course, his real intent was to have her keep an eye on “Liang Yan” while she watched her idol, and remember “Liang Yan’s” dating standards while she was at it.

Ah, well.

Clever, if he did say so himself.

Just as Qiao Qi was stepping out of the recording studio, about to get in her car, someone suddenly called out to her. She turned around and found it was Liang Xumo.

“Qiao Qi.” Liang Xumo, as elegant and composed as ever today, walked over to her with a smile. “It’s been a while.”

Qiao Qi gave an “Mn,” then, remembering something, added, “Oh, right, I received the wrap gift, thank you.”

“It was nothing, everyone got one. Actually, I originally meant to come congratulate you all in person that day, but something came up and it got delayed,” Liang Xumo said. “Are you done with work? Have you seen Liang Yan?”

“Mn, he should be coming out soon.”

Just as she finished speaking, Liang Yan walked out of the studio. He’d apparently given his jacket to someone and was wearing only a thin shirt.

A gust of wind caught it, laying bare the full outline of his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

Seeing him like this, Liang Xumo frowned in displeasure. “Dressed so lightly — aren’t you worried about catching a cold?”

Liang Yan was surprised to see Liang Xumo. “Sis, what are you doing here?”

“On a business trip nearby, thought I’d swing by to see you.”

“Just swinging by?” Liang Yan eyed her sideways.

Liang Xumo smiled. “So I should swing by on my business trip instead?”

Liang Yan immediately shot back, “Hard work, hard work, thanks for your effort, Little President Liang.”

Liang Xumo swatted him. “Don’t call me that.”

“Everyone else calls you that.” Liang Yan said, entirely unbothered, then remembered he needed to go to the hospital with Qiao Qi and asked Liang Xumo, “Do you have plans right now?”

“No, why?” Liang Xumo asked.

“Come with me somewhere, then?” Liang Yan said. “Got a favor to ask of Little President Liang.”

The two of them got along so easily and comfortably that Qiao Qi, watching from the side, felt like a third wheel. She quietly got into the car without a word.

Just then, Liang Yan happened to glance over. The car blocked out most of the daylight; she sat in her formal dress, posture proper and upright, but something about her gave off an inexplicably forlorn air.

Liang Yan, inexplicably reminded of how pitiful she’d looked that drunken night, paused briefly, then spoke up: “Teacher Qiao, want some milk tea?”

Author’s Note: No second update today. The author is completely wiped out. Twenty red packets as a bribe. The reveal’s coming soon. This week — it’s definitely happening!