After the White Lotus Fell of the Horse - Chapter 27
Tang You suffered a great shock.
The photo was taken when she was still staying at Xiao Zexing's place, wearing her pajamas, in the room he had arranged.
What did Xiao Zexing do with her photo at night?
And why did he hide it under the pillow?
And to make matters worse, as she backed up, she noticed a tiny tuft of lint on Xiao Zexing's bed.
It looked like a rabbit's tail.
Extremely familiar.
Tang You couldn't help but reach out, tentatively pulling on the little tuft of lint.
The little rabbit pajamas slowly emerged from under the blanket.
They were exactly the same as her favorite rabbit pajamas, with fluffy ears and a tail that felt like soft clouds when touched.
Silence for three seconds.
Tang You calmly placed the items back quietly.
To conceal her discovery, Tang You directly stuffed the pajamas and photo back in, concealing them securely.
… But her hands were still uncontrollably trembling.
Tang You, took his wallet and walked out lightly.
Every step felt like stepping on cotton.
Xiao Zexing was drinking water.
He had just tied his tie himself, and his shirt was perfectly ironed. During the day, he always buttoned up every button, looking proper and disciplined.
What exactly did this man do with her identical pajamas and photo at night?
Tang You couldn't even imagine what Xiao Zexing would do after taking off his shirt.
She didn't dare to think.
Was he holding her pajamas while sleeping at night?
Or maybe…
Xiao Zexing remained composed, set down his cup, and looked at Tang You with a slight smile. "What's wrong? You seem absent-minded."
"Nothing." Tang You forcefully suppressed her shock and smiled as if nothing had happened. "Just a bit tired."
She believed that at this moment, Xiao Zexing shouldn't notice her uneasiness.
Tang You lowered her head, but her mind couldn't help but fantasize about Xiao Zexing without his shirt on, causing her ears to gradually turn red.
Xiao Zexing silently observed her.
Her earlobes were small and now completely red, and her cheeks were also tinged with a faint blush.
Xiao Zexing glanced at his watch. "I just had the waiter bring hot milk. Drink it and go to sleep obediently. I've already talked to S&C, and we'll have a regular shoot tomorrow morning and dinner together in the evening."
Tang You mechanically nodded. "Thank you, Second Uncle ."
Xiao Zexing touched her hair and turned to leave.
Tang You's mind was in turmoil. She jumped onto the sofa and tried to send a message to Miao Jiaxi: Jiajia, a friend of mine recently encountered something.
Miao Jiaxi replied quickly.
She sent a bunch of URLs directly.
Miao Jiaxi: You're outside right now; there's no need to use a VPN. Feel free to browse.
Miao Jiaxi: If it's not enough, ask me for more.
Miao Jiaxi: I can give you ten more friends if needed.
Tang You was completely confused and clicked on one of the links. The explicit cover of the video shocked her, and she immediately closed the page.
Forget it. Forget it.
This kind of thing was not suitable to be discussed with Jiajia.
Tang You hesitated for a long time and replied with a thank-you emoji.
Being regarded as an x-rated fantasy object by her former fiancé's elder relatives sounded really strange.
Tang You controlled herself from indulging in wild thoughts, but her brain wouldn't listen and continued to uncontrollably imagine the expressions Xiao Zexing would make while doing certain things, wondering if he had completely lost his usual composure…
Tang You buried her face in the pillow.
Oh no, she was blushing, and her heart was pounding again because of these baseless fantasies.
She felt dirty.
Tang You couldn't sleep well the whole night.
In a daze, she had a bunch of random dreams.
She dreamed about her childhood.
Tang Xiao had never shown favor to Tang You. When she was in kindergarten, while other children could be carried on their fathers' shoulders or spun around, Tang You never received such treatment.
Tang Xiao wouldn't hold her, give her birthday gifts, or buy her pretty dresses and hairpins.
Tang You rarely even saw her father come home.
Later on, Tang Xiao’s relationship with Su Yuan reached the point of almost breaking up. The longest time he was away from home was two whole months.
When Tang You came home from school and saw Tang Xiao, she had the strange feeling that she didn't recognize him anymore.
She had never experienced the so-called "fatherly love" from Tang Xiao.
There was only one time, and it quickly disappeared.
It was a weekend when Tang Xiao, for the first time ever, took Tang You to an amusement park. Tang You was overjoyed and timidly asked if she could ride the carousel.
She was afraid her father would get angry, so she made the request very humbly.
Tang Xiao surprisingly indulged her.
Tang You was extremely happy that day, wishing time would stop while she was on the carousel.
If only she hadn't seen Tang Xiao kissing Jiang Tao under the shade of a tree.
Grandpa Tang and Grandfather Xiao had the same strict and uncompromising temperament. Once a decision was made, there was no room for remorse. They were authoritative patriarchs. Throughout her life, the only care she received from male elders was from Xiao Zexing.
But now he no longer seemed like an elder.
Tang You, who had already been disturbed by chaotic dreams, was woken up by the alarm clock, so she felt a bit dizzy.Xiao Zexing had already left. He was always busy with work.
Today, the sun was exceptionally bright outside, and the shoot was taking place outdoors. Tang You was alone and had many things to carry. She was bowing her head and putting sunscreen spray and various skincare items into her bag when she heard a knock on the door.
She opened it to find a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses standing outside. He politely said to Tang You, "Miss Tang, I am Mr. Xiao's assistant, Yang Mingwei. You can call me Xiao Yang. Mr. Xiao asked me to take care of you. For the next two days, I will be your assistant, responsible for travel and other matters. If you have any needs, you can tell me."
Tang You was stunned.
Xiao Zexing had assigned her his own assistant.
In the past, Tang You would have been moved and thought that Second Uncle was meticulous. But after finding her photo and identical pajamas under his pillow and bedding, she wouldn't simply believe that Second Uncle was caring for her as a junior.
After a morning of uneasiness and speculation, Tang You started to feel like Xiao Zexing was… boiling a frog in warm water?
Tang Frog You nervously got into the car.
The S&C branch was a bit far from here, and Tang You couldn't help but ask, "How long have you been working for Mr. Xiao?"
Yang Mingwei smiled and replied, "Six years."
It had been such a long time!
Xiao Zexing had entrusted someone so important to her.
Tang You cautiously asked, "In the six years you've been with Mr. Xiao, have you ever seen him pursue someone? Or did he have a partner before?"
Yang Mingwei smiled. "Mr. Xiao values work more."
Even the people around him said so.
Tang You, who had just discovered Xiao Zexing's secret, began to feel somewhat panicked.
They soon arrived at the S&C branch, and Yang Mingwei had already communicated with the people there over the phone. He introduced Tang You familiarly to the relevant person in charge.
The main photographer was a Frenchman who didn't understand Chinese. Although he had a translator, Yang Mingwei still translated everything for Tang You to avoid any communication misunderstandings.
The person in charge at S&C had changed as well. It wasn't Wang Yunquan, who had previously been in contact with Tang You, but a slender Chinese woman who introduced herself as Ms. Xia.
Presumably, Xiao Zexing had already spoken to her, as Ms. Xia paid special attention to Tang You.
Tang You wasn't the only one invited. There were two other domestic internet celebrities: Hua Jiuxiang and Cherry Primary School Girl.
Hua Jiuxiang rose to fame with a cool and distant style. She was tall and had an air of arrogance. During the communication with the photographer, it was noticed that one person was missing, so a staff member was sent to fetch her. Hua Jiuxiang then slowly made her way out.
She was accompanied by three assistants, one holding an umbrella, one carrying water, and another holding a small electric fan to blow on her.
Cherry Primary School Girl, like Tang You, was still studying at the university. She portrayed the image of a girl-next-door with a sweet and friendly personality. When she saw Tang You, she widened her eyes and couldn't help but ask, "Are you really Yuko?"
Tang You nodded.
Cherry Primary School Girl was astounded that Yuko, who had been chastised for having a "devilish figure and face," actually had such a stunningly beautiful appearance. "You are really missing out by not showing your face," she said, staring blankly and shaking her head.
Tang You smiled and replied, "I'm a fashion blogger, not a beauty blogger. The focus is on showcasing the clothes, not my face."
Upon hearing this, Hua Jiuxiang slightly raised her umbrella.
Her narrow eyes glanced at Tang You without smiling or saying anything.
They started recording individual videos and posters. Tang You was the first, and the photographer was pleased with her camera presence. After shooting three takes, he asked her to take a break and let Hua Jiuxiang take over.
After sitting down, Cherry Primary School Girl took the initiative to chat with Tang You and sighed, "I heard that S&C is planning to invite Song Yu as their brand ambassador. Honestly, I've never seen a social media influencer being chosen as the ambassador for a luxury brand."
Tang You took small sips of water.
The sun was too intense, and it made her feel uncomfortable.
Actually, it wasn't surprising at all to invite Song Yu. She was the number one figure in the high society of Xi Jing.
Looking around, Cherry Primary School Girl lowered her voice and continued, "I heard that it's because Song Yu spent a night with one of the high-ranking executives at S&C that she got this opportunity."
Tang You choked, coughed twice, and grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth. "Don't spread these nonsensical rumors. How is that possible?"
Although Tang You rejected Song Yu due to her dislike of Zhao Die, she wouldn't maliciously spread such rumors.
Cherry Primary School Girl was still enthusiastic. "Come on, gossip is fun. It's only interesting when you can't distinguish between truth and falsehood. There's another saying that S&C did it to please Ming Jian, and that's how Song Yu ended up in bed with the big shot. I don't know what happened, but the big shot got angry and fired Wang Yunquan. Didn't you notice that the person in charge has changed?"
Tang You: "…"
She didn't expect this rumor to be somewhat close to reality.
Cherry Primary School Girl sighed, "But Ming Jian is indeed a goldmine, rare for someone who isn't fond of women. I wonder if he actually got involved with Song Yu. If he did, Song Yu would be really lucky. Oh, by the way, whenever Xiao Zexing is mentioned, we can't forget about Xiao's Crown Prince, Xiao Weijing."
Tang You twisted the cap on her bottle. "I've heard of him."
"Xiao Weijing is such a devoted person," Cherry Primary School Girl said. "There are rumors that he fell for an ordinary girl from an average family and went against his elders' arranged marriage for true love. I had the privilege of seeing him and his true love, his girlfriend, at the airport yesterday. The legendary Crown Prince is indeed handsome, but his true love, his girlfriend, is, um, not very attractive. I wonder how ugly his ex-fiancée must be if Xiao Weijing, who rebelled against the arranged marriage, is with someone like that."
Tang You lacked enthusiasm and didn't want to indulge in gossip. She replied absent-mindedly, "I don't know."
Cherry Primary School Girl seemed to be a walking gossip machine. In just thirty minutes, Tang You was forced to learn quite a bit of dark information from her.
It turned out that, in the eyes of these internet celebrities, Xiao Weijing's ex-fiancée was an incredibly spoiled and ugly girl.
After all, Wen Ling wasn't naturally beautiful. To elicit such a strong reaction from Xiao Weijing, his ex-fiancée must have been extremely ugly.
Tang You felt that the person who came up with this logical chain must have bubbles in their head.
With a sweet smile on her face, Cherry Primary School Girl pretended to be innocent as she said, "Oh, by the way, there's Hua Jiuxiang. Online rumors say she used to work in a factory and didn't even finish junior high school. I don't know if it's true or not."
Tang You couldn't bear to listen anymore and took the opportunity to quietly slip away to the restroom.
During lunchtime, Cherry Primary School Girl clearly sensed Tang You's indifference and sat next to Hua Jiuxiang, continuously talking and laughing with her.
Tang You finally had a moment of brief tranquility.
Her phone, which was in her bag, buzzed twice. She opened it to check.
Miao Jiaxi: Do you still have the link to that amazing Madame Ben you recommended to me last time? "Extramarital Affair"! It's so thrilling!
"Extramarital Affair" was a manga drawn by a well-known artist that featured both explicit content and a compelling storyline, providing a fast-paced and aesthetically pleasing experience.
Tang You found the link in her bookmarks and copied it, preparing to send it to Miao Jiaxi.
Coincidentally, a message from Xiao Zexing popped up: After the shoot, I'll pick you up, and we can have dinner together.
Tang You, who hadn't slept well last night, yawned and didn't pay much attention. She simply pasted the link and sent it.
Tang You: It's really thrilling!
Only after pressing the send button did she realize that she had sent it to Xiao Zexing!
Tang You was startled and immediately tried to retract the message.
She prayed that Xiao Zexing wouldn't have seen the previous message.
Tang You hastily edited the message and was about to resend it when she unexpectedly received a reply from Xiao Zexing.
Xiao Zexing: . . .
Ah, ah, ah!
Hopefully, he didn't open it and see it!
Tang You nervously replied, "I made a mistake and sent it to the wrong person."
She added a crying emoji.
Xiao Zexing: I'll pick you up as soon as the meeting is over.
Judging by his response, he probably didn't click on the link, right?
After all, that manga had quite a few 18+ tags, and the last time he accidentally saw some explicit content, it was embarrassing enough. If he were to see something like that again…
Tang You felt so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear.
The afternoon shoot didn't go smoothly. The first promotional advertisement required all three of them to be in the frame together, but Hua Jiuxiang wasn't comfortable with the photographer's shooting style. They had to redo it multiple times, and in the end, the smile on Cherry Primary School Girl's face completely disappeared, and she muttered a few words under her breath.
Tang You ignored her.
However, she didn't expect that Cherry Primary School Girl would start a live stream.
After Tang You finished shooting all the posters and changed her clothes, as she was walking towards her position, Cherry Primary School Girl turned around and glanced at her, sweetly smiling into her phone and saying, "Coincidentally, Yuko is here today. Would you all like to see what our most mysterious yuko looks like? She's an incredibly gorgeous person, oh!"
While speaking, she stood up and was about to pull Tang You towards the phone. "Yuko!"
Tang You felt annoyed and coldly said, pushing away her hand, "No."
Cherry Primary School Girl stared at her, her sweet smile still intact, but her gaze had changed. She didn't insist on pulling Tang You and smiled back at her phone. "But it seems like Yuko is a bit shy. Let's wait for next time."
Tang You ignored her, pressed her temples, and caught sight of a black Maybach parked not far away.
Tang You had a bad feeling and quickly called Xiao Zexing. He picked up after two rings.
She lowered her voice, speaking urgently, "Don't come over now. Drive a bit further, go past this street, and wait for me at the corner. I'll come over immediately."
With Cherry Primary School Girl's loose tongue, if she saw Tang You with Xiao Zexing, who knew what kind of gossip she would make up?
In Cherry Primary School Girl's mouth, it wouldn't be surprising if she claimed that Tang You spent a night with Xiao Zexing and ran off with him for three years while playing football.
Xiao Zexing paused for two seconds. "Okay."
Tang You hung up the phone, informed Yang Mingwei, and then started walking outside.
Cherry Primary School Girl continued her live stream, but she only captured Tang You's back, her slim waist, and her long legs.
The footage lasted about five seconds.
Two comments appeared: "Was that Yuko just now?"
"The silhouette of the girl in the white dress is so beautiful!"
Cherry Primary School Girl smiled sweetly and did not respond, but she was quickly overshadowed by other comments.
Tang You walked nervously out of the street, looking around in all directions. Once she confirmed that no one had noticed, she opened the car door and got in.
Still feeling anxious, she leaned against the window and looked left and right, not seeing any familiar figures, and finally let out a sigh of relief.
She really didn't want Cherry Primary School Girl to see her.
When she turned her head, Tang You noticed that Xiao Zexing seemed to have been watching her all along.
With his deep-set eyes, he looked the most affectionate when he focused on someone.
During their eye contact, Tang You couldn't help but think of the photo she found under his pillow last night, along with the fluffy pajamas.
She quickly averted her gaze.
Ah, forget it. Even if Xiao Zexing had any strange thoughts about her, she could pretend not to know.
As long as he didn't make any inappropriate moves.
She would just think of it as caring for an empty-nester.
Tang You felt uneasy and asked, "Second Uncle, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing," Xiao Zexing said, withdrawing his gaze. "The expression you had just now looked like we were having an affair."
Where did he get that from?
Wait, did he click on that manga link?
Tang You was at a loss for words.
Xiao Zexing calmly stared at her. "So, you find that kind of thing exciting?"
No.
Xiao Zexing smiled and concluded, "So, you do like it."
Tang You said, "It's not like that."
After a two-second pause, Xiao Zexing crossed his right leg over his left and leisurely adjusted his cufflinks. "Next time, don't send me these random things. It might make me think you're implying something."
It was not like she had intended to send it to him.
She had just sent it to the wrong person.
Tang You's mental trauma at that moment was as big as ten football fields combined.
She couldn't utter a single word.
Xiao Zexing said, "You can be direct about it."
No, no, no.
She would never!
Tang You felt completely deflated.
She felt that for a long time in the future, she wouldn't be able to read the manga by Shenxian TaiTai anymore. Every time she saw it, she would remember the way Xiao Zexing openly interrogated her today.
Xiao Zexing took Tang You to a Chinese restaurant. The interior of the restaurant was decorated in a traditional Chinese style, and even the blond waitresses were dressed in cheongsams.
As they walked, they exuded elegance.
Pushing open the carved wooden door, Tang You immediately saw Wang Yunquan.
He was sitting in the corner, and his face seemed to have bruises hidden away. Sitting to his right was a handsome, unfamiliar man, pouring himself a drink. When he heard the commotion, he looked up and smiled. "Brother Xing."
His voice fell on seeing Tang You, who smiled back. "So, this is Brother Xing's little Youyou? Come, let me have a good look."
Xiao Zexing reprimanded him: "Xu San, behave yourself and don't forget why you're here today."
Xu Mao didn't mind and continued to gaze at Tang You.
Tang You wasn't short, but standing next to Xiao Zexing made her look like a child.
She had a slim waist and delicate hands and feet. Her face was really beautiful, and her eyes were especially bright, making her instantly likable.
Tang You didn't say anything. She had no favorable impression of this slick man and couldn't help but look towards the third man in the corner.
After looking closely for a few moments, Tang You's eyes lit up, and she called out his name in surprise, "Huo Xunan!"
Huo Xunan smiled, while being cultured and refined. "Do we know each other?"
Xiao Zexing lowered his head, looking at Tang You by his side.
Tang You didn't notice and was still excited. "Yes, I grew up watching your movies! Teacher Huo, I didn't expect to meet you here."
Huo Xunan debuted as a teenager, and his first martial arts film became popular nationwide. At that time, Tang You was still in primary school, her eyes wide, watching the person in white clothes brandishing a sword on the screen.
To this day, Huo Xunan has only starred in eight films, which wasn't considered prolific. However, each of his films received high ratings and were considered masterpieces.
Tang You had watched each of his films multiple times.
Tang You wasn't a star chaser. She was simply excited to see her childhood idol.
Her eyes were bright, unable to hide her happiness.
Xu Mao raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiao Zexing with a smile.
I didn't expect you to have this day, huh?
Xiao Zexing glanced coldly at him.
Tang You excitedly looked at Huo Xunan. "Is your visit to France related to 'Wild Crane'?"
Huo Xunan hadn't released a new film in nearly three years. Since his last film, "Forest," won him the Golden Dragon Award for Best Actor, he hadn't taken on any new projects. However, there were rumors last year that Huo Xunan was filming a crime investigation film called "Wild Crane."
Huo Xunan laughed. "You guessed it right."
Tang You wanted to say something, but unexpectedly, Xiao Zexing grabbed her hand. "You know, let's sit down first."
His palm was broad and warm, and Tang You was immersed in excitement, not letting go and obediently following him.
Xiao Zexing led Tang You to a seat farthest away from Huo Xunan.
Wang Yunquan approached with a cup of wine, respectfully placed it in front of Tang You, and lowered his cup. "Miss Tang, I was blind and offended you. Please don't take it to heart."
Tang You didn't say anything; her smile vanished, and she instinctively looked up at Xiao Zexing. "Second Uncle?"
She didn't understand the rules and didn't know what she should do in this situation.
Xu Mao choked on his laughter when she called Xiao Zexing "Second Uncle" and began coughing incessantly.
Xiao Zexing smiled as he looked at her. "Do you want to forgive him or not?"
Tang You shook her head.
Wang Yunquan's face turned pale in an instant.
"You should leave first," Xiao Zexing told Wang Yunquan calmly. "Tang You doesn't like you, and you shouldn't stay here and be a bother. It might ruin her appetite."
Wang Yunquan's forehead broke out in a cold sweat as he pleaded with his eyes, looking at Tang You.
Tang You turned her head, refusing to look at him.
Tang You couldn't forgive him like a saint.
If it hadn't been Xiao Zexing who came in that night, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Wang Yunquan didn't dare to say anything more. He shook the glass in his hand making a few drops spill out, gritted his teeth, placed the glass on the table, and left with a pale face.
As soon as the door closed, Tang You's gaze fell on Xu Mao.
Xu Mao immediately forced a smile. "Spare me, Little Youyou. Look at my face—this is the handiwork of your dearest Second Uncle. I look like I've been through a war."
Tang You knew that he had a close relationship with Xiao Zexing.
The idea this time was also his.
She remained silent.
Xiao Zexing lowered his head and looked at her. "Are you feeling better now?"
Tang You mumbled, "It's fine."
"If I hadn't already promised Miss Song, I would have given you the title of brand ambassador," Xu Mao said anxiously. "Little Youyou, don't be mad at your brother. The next time there's a good opportunity, your brother will think of you first."
Tang You didn't say anything.
A waitress brought fresh strawberries and cherries to their table. Xiao Zexing picked them up and personally placed them in front of Tang You.
He slowed down his voice. "So, how can you calm down?"
Tang You muttered, "I want him to formally apologize to me and bow."
Xu Mao was taken aback. "But—"
His gaze met Xiao Zexing's, and the unspoken words were swallowed back.
Xu Mao sighed with a bitter smile, put down his cup, and walked up to Tang You. Reluctantly, he bowed to her. "Princess Youyou, I was wrong. I shouldn't have casually brought someone to Brother Xing's bed, let alone plotted against you. You are magnanimous; can you not hold it against a small person like me?"
Tang You reluctantly said, "For the sake of Second Uncle, I'll forgive you for now."
Xu Mao let out a long sigh of relief, feeling like a burden had been lifted.
Xiao Zexing looked at Tang You, who was still unhappy, and glanced at Xu Mao. "Xu San, come out with me for a moment."
Xu Mao's face was full of frustration as he followed Xiao Zexing outside.
Suddenly, the room was left with only Tang You and Huo Xunan.
Tang You couldn't help but call out to him, "Teacher Huo—."
Huo Xunan, who had been observing from the side, smiled. "If you're following Ah Xing, just call me Nan ge."
Tang You readily agreed, "Nan ge."
Ah, ah, ah! Her childhood idol was still so handsome!
He looked just like she remembered from the movies in her childhood—even more refined!
Tang You was so close to her childhood idol for the first time that she almost couldn't control her excitement. She placed her hand on her chest and said, "Can you take a photo with me later? Oh, and can you give me an autograph? I even bought your previous book, and it's now a treasured possession at home. Nan ge—"
Coincidentally, Xiao Zexing walked in, timing it perfectly, and heard her address him as such.
He glanced indifferently at Huo Xunan, then sat down next to Tang You.
Tang You continued to express her love for him excitedly. "Nan ge, I've been watching your movies since I was little. My favorite is 'Sword in the Waves'. Li Bei was so handsome! I used to dream every day that Li Bei would invite me to go on an adventure together with his sword."
Sob, sob, sob! To have dinner with her childhood idol and be able to discuss her favorite movies with him made her the happiest person in the world.
Huo Xunan didn't expect to encounter one of his little fans here. He chatted with her with interest, saying, "I didn't expect that your favorite would be that one. I thought children your age would prefer 'Snow in the Wilderness.'"
"No, no, no, Nan ge—"
"It's not appropriate to call him 'Nan ge'." Xiao Zexing interrupted Tang You's starry-eyed expression.
He squinted his eyes slightly, the smile on his face fading a bit, and his expression turned slightly colder. "Xu Nan is three years older than me. You call me Second Uncle, so how can you call him 'ge'?"
Tang You were stunned. "Then what should I call him?"
Xiao Zexing's expression remained unchanged. "Call him 'Uncle'."