Chapter 109: Has My Boyfriend Become a Female Celebrity’s Boyfriend?

Zhang Ya was so taken aback by how much Cheng Yao had changed that she was honestly shocked. He was now linked by rumor to a female celebrity.

My boyfriend has rumors with an actress?

Shocking!

She had just become part of the U.C. Club, and the news still felt so unbelievable that she could not, in any way, picture her boyfriend paired with a film star.

“Stop thinking about it. Come on, let’s go. The media live off this sort of dramatic bait.”

“Could this cause you trouble?”

“I’m just an ordinary person. How could it cause me any trouble?”

Cheng Yao shook his head. The one who might need worrying was Xiashiqi, and with Zheng Yuechan around, things should be fine.

As if summoned, there it was.

His phone rang. It was Zheng Yuechan.

“Hello, Cheng Yao.”

“Mm, I saw it. It came out of nowhere like this. Nothing bad will happen, right?”

Zheng said, “From an operations standpoint, if you handle it well, even bad news can become good news. Handle it badly, and it explodes. Besides, it’s not random. I checked the Weibo numbers and suspect someone bought the hot topics behind the scenes—possibly a bitter rival. I called so you wouldn’t worry. Treat it as hype. This won’t affect you. I’ll take care of it.”

“Okay, then there’s no problem.”

“Hang up.”

After he ended the call, Cheng Yao put his arm around Zhang Ya’s shoulder. “That’s how show business is. You could say it’s how the world works too—competition is survival of the fittest. Let’s get some late-night snacks.”

“Mm.”

Over supper they joked and traded playful nonsense, and she laughed happily.

Only at eleven did Zhang Ya finally say, “Take me home.”

“You know your place has a gate curfew.”

“?”

Cheng Yao held her waist. “Your boyfriend is being cyberbullied online, and you’re not even going to stay the night with him?”

“Wasn’t the one being attacked Xiashiqi?”

“…I’m leaving early tomorrow.”

“Then get good rest and don’t overthink nonsense.” Zhang Ya pinched his face, as if testing how tough he really was.

Cheng Yao kissed the back of her hand. “I promise I won’t do anything else.”

“….”

Under his relentless soft coercion, Zhang Ya eventually had no defense left and he pulled her toward the hotel.

They were close to the Peninsula, so no taxi was needed.

By the time they got back at 11:20, Zhang Ya was taking her bathrobe toward her room. Cheng Yao followed close behind.

Hmm—

Cheng Yao didn’t do anything at all.

Only in his pitiful pleading he threw out endless shameless love lines and brazen words.

Zhang Ya couldn’t hold out. She had a merciless streak, the kind that devoured too many lives.

Cheng Yao trembled, terrified. That witch who seemed able to devour tens of millions at once—he wanted to unleash the Cheng family gun technique, but even his weapon was sealed away.

A flicker of conscience finally came over Zhang Ya. With no better pretext left, Cheng Yao soon dozed off after she settled beside him in uneasy peace.

The next morning, Cheng Yao found his phone vibrating again and again—his roommates were hammering it nonstop.

Wang Wenbo: “Bro, who is this? Don’t tell me it’s not you—you’re dating Xiashiqi? Come back. I’ll challenge you. Let’s see who fences better!!!”

Zhang Lei: “Damn, he’s showing off. ZHU Huiyang wants hotpot!”

Zhu Huiyang: “Don’t worry. We didn’t mention anything. No need to fear cyberbullying, but Wang Wenbo says he wants hotpot.”

Lu Mengyao: “Wow, she’s good. Is she joining us too? ”

Lin Ketong: “That person on Weibo… is it you?”

Wang Churuo: “Wow! The boyfriend of a famous actress is right here!?”

Cheng Yao scratched his hair and didn’t answer a single one. To release his frustration, his hand made a soft smack against Zhang Ya’s cheek.

Of course they recognized him. They were together almost daily, and he had kept wearing the same sunglasses and outfit for days. Even if the lenses were huge and black, covering part of his face, they couldn’t hide his aura. He stood out like a firefly in darkness—too conspicuous to miss.

“Darling, time to get up and have breakfast.”

“Mm… what time is it?”

Her eyes were heavy with sleep; she had barely drifted off after being teased by Cheng Yao until late last night.

Cheng Yao checked his watch. “6:50. If you wash up now, it’ll be seven. Let’s do buffet, then I’ll take you to school. I’ve got another appointment.”

“Uh…”

Reluctantly she got up and dressed. While they did their wash, they bickered and played, and she still looked like she had toothpaste all over her face.

The Peninsula breakfast buffet in the morning wasn’t cheap—well over a hundred yuan, but the selection was huge.

After breakfast they hailed a car and dropped her off at school.

“Mwa.”

Zhang Ya kissed him on the cheek. “Bye. Go back and attend class early.”

“Got it. You go first.”

After they hugged, Cheng Yao headed toward Zheng Yuechan’s place.

The moment he reached the gate, Cheng Yao scanned the entrance and, from fifty meters away, saw her.

At that moment Zheng Yuechan was seated at a breakfast table with two women, chatting. Both women looked their mid-to-late twenties, nothing extraordinary in looks, each with a suitcase by her side.

“Don’t you want to look before deciding?”

“You won’t scam us. Once we leave Huatian, we don’t know where we’d go. A break in Nanjing sounds good.”

“Yeah. Good salary is what matters. We’re used to hard work.”

“Fine.”

Just then, when Zheng Yuechan looked up, she caught sight of Cheng Yao.

Last night’s thing had only been a little side event. She was unexpectedly surprised by how decent he was. At the very least, his character and temperament were good, and he paid without hesitation.

Since he had paid him, a flicker of guilt passed through Zheng Yuechan. She resolved to offer him more advice for his company later. His money hadn’t fallen from the sky—nobody wants to be a fool in that way.

The two women looked Cheng Yao over, a bit startled by his appearance.

The next second they froze. He had changed clothes, but the sunglasses were still on, and his build was the same. Wasn’t he the so-called “boyfriend of Xiashiqi” everyone was talking about online?

“He…”

“Looks somewhat familiar.”

They said nothing, but they had already figured it out in their minds.

Zheng Yuechan understood what they were hinting at and, with a slight edge in her voice, said, “No rumors, no forwarding rumors. If they push it too far, let them be ready for a legal letter.”

“Sharp as ever, Aunt Zheng.”

Cheng Yao smiled. He thought if he just passed through this episode, his popularity and recognition would only rise. If anyone tried to block him, he could sue them, gain traffic, and clear the truth in one move.

He really did have tactics. Cheng Yao might not be a career corporate player, but he could clearly see the strategy at work.

“Let me introduce you. This is my nephew,” Zheng Yuechan said with a tight smile—though she couldn’t help but wonder how she had suddenly gained a nephew. Still, that was the best version for the outside world, so she accepted the pretense.

“Hello, Boss Cheng.”

“Hello.”

“Hello, everyone. Have you had breakfast?”

Cheng Yao took one look at the two—makeup artist and stylist.

These people could normally be found through a headhunting firm, and Wang Yiming had already arranged that, but no one complains about having too many hands. As the company grows, a larger staff is better than a smaller one.

Zheng Yuechan stood up. “Fine, I’ve brought them to you and I need to go to the office. You talk it over, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

That visit to the Magic City was, for now, coming to an end. Cheng Yao had to return to Nanjing and attend to his own matters.

…

They had introduced themselves to one another, and Cheng Yao didn’t linger in Shanghai. The longer you stayed there, the more you missed Nanjing.

The two staff were eager, satisfied with the offer, and their luggage was already packed. It was obvious they had agreed first thing this morning, likely thanks to Zheng Yuechan’s recommendation.

So he bought the tickets and took both of them on the train back to Nanjing.

Back in Nanjing, Cheng Yao sent Zhang Ya a message.

His car was still at South Station, so he sent them the address and told the makeup artist and stylist to go straight to Chaoyang Tower; the company was already running, so they would find it easily.

He had also already spoken to Wang Yiming.

The company needed an additional one hundred and fifty million in funding, so Cheng Yao went to the bank himself.

It was said he had already signed more than ten influencers. Cheng Yao was in no rush to visit the office. Let it develop the way it needed to; if it ended up in the red, that was fine too.

By around half past eleven he arrived at the company.

A cleaning auntie was still mopping the corridor and only looked up at him twice.

When he stepped into the office area, a crowd was already seated inside. Desks were packed with setups and gear, and there was a gym room, afternoon tea corner, and more.

He walked around for a while. The staff thought he was just some influencer there to sign a contract. With that face, anyone unfamiliar could easily mistake him for a celebrity.

After one quick circuit, he still didn’t enter an office. He messaged Wang Yiming, then left the tower, ate, and headed straight to school.

Now that he had plenty of money, the influencer venture had moved to the top of his agenda. He had come to appreciate the usefulness of a headhunting firm, and next came his entry into showbiz—becoming a director.

If he were to become a director, he’d naturally start with web dramas. That’s the easiest route.

He had not spent much money lately. It was time to spend it like there was no tomorrow.

In the film and television world, this amount was still nothing. A major production movie there costs a billion; tossing this money in would be like dropping it into water, leaving barely a splash.

Overseas they burn money on special effects. At home, they burn it on actors. Their fees run up to a hundred million—got it?

Daily actor fees are another kind of endless feast—got it?

Cheng Yao had no particular interest in fresh-faced idol stars. It’s said that is an American plot—the sort of trend that feels like a mood that comes and goes like cycles doesn’t do well there. It was first aimed at the islands, and somehow the Korean peninsula has taken it to the extreme.

A portion of mainland players saw the business opportunity and pushed this trend forward, feeding the craze.

Driving a McLaren for long is mostly vanity, all show and noise; in truth it isn’t exactly comfortable.

If comfort was the point, something like a Mercedes-Benz E-Class would do, maybe Bentley or Rolls-Royce.

But a Bentley or Rolls-Royce isn’t ideal for him to drive himself. A Mercedes E is just right—you don’t need a top-line showpiece.

Its roar rolled across the road, and after roughly half an hour he finally reached school.

He parked not far away and entered wearing sunglasses, drawing sidelong looks from the seniors and juniors around.

“He… isn’t he the junior from the School of Economics?”

“Cheng Yao…”

“Yes, yes, that’s him. I feel he kind of looks like Xiashiqi’s boyfriend!”

“Oh? In style, he does.”

A few girls nearby only laughed it off. How could someone from Nanjing University of Finance and Economics possibly be tied to a top leading actress in show business?

In fact, Cheng Yao’s unusually sharp hearing had caught the first line, and once he heard the rest he relaxed.

Sure enough, no one had any real chance of recognizing him.

Cheng Yao liked to put on airs, but with a rumor like this, it was better to let fewer things happen than more.