Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Sun Hu glanced at Xia Xin, then at Jing MO, and deliberately asked Xia Xin, âDo you like MO Shu?â
Xia Xin immediately replied, âOf course not! I donât even know him well. We only worked together on a few scenes in the past, and we hardly exchanged a few words. If it werenât for the coincidence of him running into me yesterday, he probably wouldnât have asked for my help. Weâre not even friends, so where does the liking come from?â
Sun Hu looked at Jing MO again, carefully observing all of his expressions, and said, âAlright, think about my suggestion for now. Iâll come back later to discuss it with you.â
Xia Xin obediently agreed, and then Sun Hu went upstairs to find Jing Mo.
Sun Hu closed the door behind him after he and Jing MO entered the study.
Jing Moâs study featured a wall of bookshelves, a desk by the window, and a wooden rocking chair beside it. On the windowsill sat a lush pot of green ivy.
Jing MO sat down in the rocking chair, remaining silent.
Sun Hu approached, leaning on the desk, and asked, âXia Xinâs situation is about pretending to be a couple. Why do you disagree?â
Jing MO remained silent.
Sun Hu was accustomed to Jing Moâs habit of staying silent when he didnât want to answer certain questions, so he didnât expect a response to this particular query.
Sun Hu continued, âThis is the only way to handle the situation now. Unless you want Xia Xinâs career to end before it even begins.â
Jing MO looked up, puzzled, and asked, âThere are many ways to solve this kind of problem, and with your capabilities, you should be able to find a solution.
Why must it be pretending to be a couple?â
Sun Hu took out his phone, found the photos from his media friends, and showed them to Jing Mo. Sun Hu said, âTake a look for yourself. These are the photos of Xia Xin and MO Shu in a hotel room. With these pictures, if they donât announce to the public that they are a couple, their connection will be questioned.â
Jing MO knew that for Xia Xin, this would ruin her career before it even started.
Sun Huâs tone grew more serious. âNot only one media outlet has this picture. I can suppress one, but I canât suppress dozens or hundreds. What I can do right now is to buy time, and find a way to respond before this photo goes public. You should understand this better than I do.â
Jing MO looked at the photos on the phone, his hand gripping the device so tightly that it seemed like he might crush it.
Sun Hu quickly pulled the phone away and said, âDonât take your anger out on my phone.â
Jing Mo hung his head in silence..
Sun Hu continued, trying to provoke him, âXia Xin is an adult and can make her own judgments. You donât need to make decisions for her in everything.â
Jing MO still didnât say a word.
Sun Hu didnât press further and waited quietly.
In the late summer season, even the cicadas had fallen silent, leaving only the echoes in the quiet room.
Finally, Jing MO spoke, âXia Xin is important to me. Sheâs the first person who made me feel warmth. She protected me back then, and now itâs my turn to protect her.â
Sun Hu, looking at the reserved individual, remarked, âYou finally decided to speak the truth? Iâve told you before, donât just keep things to yourself. If you have thoughts, just tell her directly. But now, things can only be handled this way. MO Shu is one of the rare good men in the entertainment industry, and he has many admirers. We can only hope that Xia Xin wonât develop feelings for him.â
After their conversation, they both left the study together. Sun Hu handed a script to Xia Xin and said, âThereâs no need to make this situation public. Letâs handle it discreetly. Occasionally, post something together with MO Shu to make the fans think you have a secret relationship. This script is one weâve chosen together; itâs a low-budget web series with only 12 episodes, and the shooting period is very short. Finish filming this series first, air it, and then gradually distance yourselves. Eventually, you can announce a breakup, and that should clear your name.â
Xia Xin scrolled through the scriptâs synopsis. The title of the drama was âLoveâs Unleashed,â and it told the story of a girl who found a homeless boy one night and took him home. Over time, she began treating him like a pet, and their hidden feelings for each other grew.
Sun Hu said, âYouâve lucked out in a way. Youâve got the lead role in your debut drama, and you have Mo Shu as your co-star. Iâm not sure if itâs good or bad luck for you. Stay at home these next few days, and Iâll bring you to the set in three daysâ¦â