Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 87

Ran Lin made a round to the restroom and returned to the venue, immediately spotting Lu Yiyao amidst the crowd. Standing with a drink in hand, Lu Yiyao was conversing in the middle of the room where others were mingling. He looked perfectly at ease there, but the person he was speaking with was Zhang Beichen.

From where Ran Lin stood, he couldn’t hear their conversation or see Zhang Beichen’s expression, as he was mostly turned away. All Ran Lin could see was Lu Yiyao’s face, which held a calm and detached demeanor, lacking even his usual polite smile but also free of any frowns or distaste.

As if sensing something, Lu Yiyao looked up, and their eyes met. The next second, Lu Yiyao gave a slight shake of his head. It was a subtle movement that Ran Lin might have missed if he wasn’t intently watching. Ran Lin understood; Lu Yiyao was signaling him not to come over at that moment. It might not be strange for Ran Lin to approach and greet Lu Yiyao in Zhang Beichen’s presence, but it was better to avoid unnecessary interactions and the ensuing forced pleasantries.

Sighing, Ran Lin wished he could tell Lu Yiyao that he’d already exchanged pleasantries with Zhang Beichen and that any unpleasantness had already occurred. Learning about Zhang Beichen’s involvement with someone like Mr. Qin from Ding Kai left Ran Lin feeling uneasy, even though it was Zhang Beichen’s own choice and perhaps none of their business, but they were friends once…

“Ran Lin—” Zhang Beichen, noticing Lu Yiyao’s subtle cues, turned and called out to Ran Lin with a wave.

His voice was loud, standing out in the subdued atmosphere of the party, where everyone was whispering and breaking through the relaxed background music. Thankfully, he only shouted twice and didn’t escalate further.

Ran Lin quickly smiled apologetically at the other guests and hastened over to avoid any further scenes. Lu Yiyao’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, clearly displeased with Zhang Beichen’s impulsive act, but the emotion was fleeting. By the time Ran Lin approached, Lu Yiyao had already composed himself and said naturally, “He said you were here too. I’ve been looking all over and couldn’t find you.”

“I just went to the restroom,” Ran Lin replied in a familiar tone, not pretending to be distant with Lu Yiyao. “Weren’t you recording a show in Shanghai?”

“I was invited and had to make the time to come, even if it meant being busy.” Lu Yiyao sighed. “Pity I still arrived late and missed the opening.”

Zhang Beichen’s lips twisted into a smirk, his words carrying an ambiguous tone of either teasing or mocking. “No wonder you’re such good friends, gathering every other day. You even know Teacher Lu’s schedule so well.”

Lu Yiyao didn’t respond but scrutinized Zhang Beichen. Ever since their conversation hadn’t been two minutes long, he had sensed something off about Zhang Beichen, who usually maintained a veneer of civility regardless of his inner feelings. However, today, his words seemed pointed and provocative, and Lu Yiyao couldn’t figure out what he was up to.

Ran Lin could detect the mockery in Zhang Beichen’s tone, but it also seemed simply bitter, without doubting his relationship with Lu Yiyao. After all, their recent gathering was well-known, and pretending to be long-lost friends with Lu Yiyao at this point would be odd.

With this in mind, Ran Lin added a few more words for clarity. “Before you arrived, we were chatting over there.”

This “we” naturally referred to himself and Zhang Beichen, which Lu Yiyao understood. He was about to steer the conversation towards lighter topics, but Zhang Beichen interjected first.

“And President Ding Kai,” Zhang Beichen added, nodding toward Ding Kai sitting in the distance. “The three of us had a long chat. President Ding appreciates Ran Lin a lot.”

The emphasis Zhang placed on “three” and “a lot” loaded the statement with implications.

Lu Yiyao’s good mood, which had lasted the entire evening, finally evaporated at that moment. No longer interested in pleasantries, Li Yiyao glanced at a quiet place in the corner and said, “Let’s go over there. It’s quiet, and we can have a good chat.”

Ran Lin couldn’t fathom why Zhang Beichen was acting so erratically today, or if perhaps being confronted about his relationship with Mr. Qin by Ding Kai had infuriated him. Regardless, Zhang Beichen seemed intent on ensuring no one else was comfortable if he wasn’t.

Lu Yiyao seemed to have caught on as well, hence his intention to move away from the conspicuous center of the venue to a more discreet location.

Today might be a good day for heart-to-hearts and to clear the air, Ran Lin thought.

Without waiting for a response, Lu Yiyao walked towards the secluded corner. After a brief pause, Zhang Beichen shrugged indifferently and followed. Ran Lin, with mixed feelings, trailed behind.

To an outsider, they might appear as old friends who happened upon each other at the party and decided to find a corner for a private chat. Only they knew the complexity of emotions involved.

On the way, Ran Lin picked up three glasses of champagne. The clear, bubbling drink filled the elegant flutes, a sight pleasing to the eye.

Once seated, he placed the three glasses on the low table, one in front of each person. Champagne is often associated with celebrations and festive times, as if drinking it signifies joyous moments. Ran Lin didn’t know how their relationship with Zhang Beichen would change after today, but deep down, he hoped they could still toast to a friendly parting.

“Thanks.” Zhang Beichen was the first to pick up his glass, taking a light sip and looking at Ran Lin with a faint smile. “That’s the best thing about you. No matter the time, no matter what happens, no matter who you’re facing, you always maintain a good posture. You don’t embarrass yourself, nor do you embarrass others…”

“But,” Zhang Beichen set down his glass, the base clinking crisply against the firestone tabletop, “being too overdone is just hypocrisy.”

Ran Lin, adept at navigating investors’ banquets, found himself at a loss against such sharp and biting remarks. He sensed a fundamental misunderstanding between himself and Zhang Beichen but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

Zhang Beichen disliked the innocent look on Ran Lin’s face; it made him feel even more villainous. This secluded, quiet spot with dim lighting was perfect for unpleasant truths. “Ding Kai must have told you everything about Lao Qin. You can look down on me, mock or ridicule me, I’ll take it. Any reaction is better than this pretense of ignorance you’re showing right now.”

Ran Lin was speechless. When the perception gap between two people on the same matter is too wide, it seems there’s no way to start a conversation.

Lu Yiyao realized that Zhang Beichen wasn’t intending to maintain even a shred of dignity in their relationship. Ignoring the absurd accusations of Ran Lin’s hypocrisy, he asked, “Who is Lao Qin?”

The introduction of a fourth name into the conversation confused him. Ran Lin, not sure how to explain in front of Zhang Beichen, simply said, “It’s not important.”

Lu Yiyao was frustrated. How could it not be important if it’s causing Zhang Beichen to be this distressed?

But Zhang Beichen’s words were like a floodgate opening, unable to be stopped. “You’ve been holding a grudge about <Mint Green>, haven’t you? Snatched away on the signing day, and you could still be friends with me? No, we were no longer friends. You got <Sword of Fallen Flowers> and were so happy, you even messaged me to show off. Yes, I was foolish, not waiting and signing another drama. If you knew how you got that role by taking advantage of the situation, you should’ve kept quiet. Why message me? Wanting congratulations? Fine, I congratulate you. You can go shoot with a clear conscience. Isn’t that considerate of me as a friend?”

After a barrage of accusations, Zhang Beichen paused to catch his breath, a cold smile ready to continue, only to be interrupted by Lu Yiyao—

“If you really considered Ran Lin a friend, you wouldn’t have used him as a shield when your gay photos were leaked.”

Lu Yiyao specifically said “him”, not “us”, leaving Zhang Beichen momentarily stunned before narrowing his eyes. “You knew?”

Zhang Beichen’s question was abrupt, but Lu Yiyao answered clearly, “We knew at the time. You and your agent made it too obvious, not sophisticated enough.”

Zhang Beichen looked at Ran Lin, raising an eyebrow. “You knew too?”

Ran Lin’s silence was a tacit admission.

Zhang Beichen laughed bitterly. “See, this is what I mean. You all know everything yet pretend to be oblivious.” He turned to Ran Lin, mockingly asking, “Enjoy watching me make a fool of myself, do you?”

Finally, Ran Lin spoke, his voice unexpectedly hoarse. “I’ve always been waiting for you to explain, even just a simple apology.”

“Why should I apologize?” Zhang Beichen looked genuinely puzzled, not feigning ignorance. “Stop acting like you’re so wrong and I’m so ungrateful. Don’t you know what you’ve been up to? How much cleaner are you than me?”

“Zhang Beichen.” Lu Yiyao called his name sternly, low but serious. “That’s enough.”

“Are you stupid, Teacher Lu?” Zhang Beichen looked bewilderedly at Lu Yiyao, who was trying so hard to defend Ran Lin. This question had been nagging him since the “Drifting” series. “How did Ran Lin suddenly become famous, getting on “Drifting Story”? He was riding on your popularity. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice?”

Lu Yiyao didn’t bite; he just gazed directly at Zhang Beichen and piercingly asked, “Does it matter to you?”

Zhang Beichen was taken aback, laughing after a moment. “Right, it doesn’t concern me…” He then turned his intense gaze back on Lu Yiyao. “But it concerns you. Do you know he’s gay?”

Lu Yiyao’s eyes narrowed sharply, dangerously quick. Ran Lin’s face changed color; he hadn’t expected Zhang Beichen to bring this up in such a setting. Without even admitting his sexuality to Zhang Beichen, let alone discussing it publicly, was Zhang Beichen not afraid of backlash if Ran Lin retaliated with the whole Mr. Qin’s affair? What good would airing this do for either of them?

Or had Zhang Beichen gone beyond embarrassment to sheer recklessness?

Zhang Beichen caught the emotional shift in both men. Ran Lin’s being normal, but Lu Yiyao’s was fleeting yet surprising. “Don’t tell me you’ve known all along…”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Lu Yiyao remained calm, unshaken. “Instead of slandering others, you should focus on improving yourself.”

“I really admire him, no, I envy him.” Zhang Beichen sighed leisurely. “To turn riding on someone’s coattails into real emotions. That’s worth teaching a class on.”

Lu Yiyao stood up, not wanting to stay another moment. Zhang Beichen was clearly not in a rational state, and although Lu Yiyao didn’t know what exactly was wrong, his instinct told him to keep a distance. If he stayed, even if Zhang Beichen didn’t do anything further, Lu Yiyao wasn’t sure he could keep his temper in check.

But as Lu Yiyao stood up, so did Zhang Beichen, hurriedly speaking as if he knew any later and Lu Yiyao would leave. “Before you came, Ding Kai had already taken him around to meet all the bigwigs here. You’re naively thinking he’s been struggling on his own, but who knows how many times Ding Kai has fucked him.”

Lu Yiyao had warned himself not to get provoked, as every word from Zhang Beichen was a deliberate provocation, almost as if he wouldn’t be satisfied without a fight. But the offensive words were indeed more hurtful than knives, and while his rational mind knew better, his instincts were hard to suppress. His fist almost autonomously moved towards Zhang Beichen…

But he never reached him. Not even halfway, as Ran Lin firmly grabbed him and began pulling him away. “Let’s go.”

Lu Yiyao took several deep breaths before he could calm down slightly, following Ran Lin as they left.

Zhang Beichen didn’t stop them or make any more rude remarks. Instead, he sat back down, staring quietly at the three glasses of champagne on the table, seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps his mind was somewhere far away.

Once they reached a quieter corner away from the guests, Lu Yiyao finally settled down, becoming increasingly convinced that Zhang Beichen had been deliberately trying to provoke him.

“I don’t understand,” he muttered with a deep frown. “How does provoking us into a fight benefit him in any way?”

Ran Lin couldn’t figure it out either, but considering Zhang Beichen’s behavior from start to finish, he felt maybe everything that happened today lacked any logic, purely driven by impulse. “I always feel like his mood today was unstable. Normally, even if he didn’t ask me to keep Mr. Qin’s matter a secret, he wouldn’t have brought it up himself. If I really got angry and exposed everything, it wouldn’t benefit him even if Mr. Qin could suppress it.”

The venue’s background music had changed at some point to a distinct Spanish dance track, its brisk rhythm making it even harder for Lu Yiyao to concentrate and increasingly perplexed. “Who exactly is this Mr. Qin?”

Realizing he hadn’t yet explained it to his partner, Ran Lin glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping before whispering, “The one who helped him secure <Mint Green>.”

The implications were clear without being explicitly stated.

Surprised, Lu Yiyao quickly grasped the situation. “Since then till now?”

“Probably even earlier,” Ran Lin added. “Ding Kai said it’s been two years, probably around when he auditioned for <Sword of Fallen Flowers>.”

“Ding Kai… said?” Lu Yiyao felt like he was forgetting something but remembered as Ran Lin reminded him.

Ran Lin quickly recounted everything from the beginning of the party, how Ding Kai had introduced him and Wang Xi to the brand executives, to the point of revealing Mr. Qin’s involvement, all to Lu Yiyao.

Understanding the situation, Lu Yiyao’s concern turned to annoyance at Ding Kai’s apparent ulterior motives.

Just as Ran Lin was about to clarify Zhang Beichen’s accusations, Lu Yiyao sighed. “It’s troublesome having such a keen eye. I have to be on guard every day.”

Ran Lin laughed at the comment, assuring, “Don’t worry, I come with a built-in firewall and antivirus system.”

Lu Yiyao liked this metaphor. He imagined directly reformatting Ding Kai…

“After searching for so long, so you two were hiding here,” Wang Xi’s voice suddenly came from the side. Both men looked up to see Wang Xi and Yao Hong shoulder-to-shoulder approaching them. Wang Xi appeared refreshed and clearly had been successfully networking at the party, while Yao Hong maintained her gentle and calm demeanor, albeit slightly complicated given the oblivious Wang Xi and the troublesome Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao.

“Xi Jie, Hong Jie.” Ran Lin immediately stood up, politely greeting. “Sit here.”

“No, thanks.” Wang Xi shook her head. “I just ran into a couple of people I know well over there and wanted to introduce you.”

Ran Lin instinctively glanced at Lu Yiyao, who already spoke up. “Then you should go over.”

After a couple more looks at Lu Yiyao, Ran Lin reluctantly turned away, following Wang Xi. Wang Xi, unaware of any undercurrents, knew about Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao’s close relationship and naturally understood they’d prefer each other’s company over socializing.

Once the pair had walked away, Yao Hong, now sitting down, couldn’t help but smile helplessly. “Alright, if you keep looking, you might lose your eyes, and I won’t pick them up for you.”

“Can’t you just sympathize with the plight of us cowherd and weaver* a bit?” Lu Yiyao responded with a wry smile.

*The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. A Chinese folk tale that tells the romance between a cowherd and weaver girl. Their romance was forbidden and were banished to opposite sides of the heavenly river (the milky way). Once a year, a flock of magpies form a bridge to reunite the lovers for a single day.

Yao Hong chuckled. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Almost there,” Lu Yiyao said. “They meet once a year; we might double that at most.”

Yao Hong felt a bit sorry and comforted. “It’ll be better next year.” Then she remembered something. “Right, Wang Xi doesn’t seem to know about Ran Lin joining your company. Hasn’t he told her?”

“No,” Lu Yiyao replied. “Even without bringing up our relationship, mentioning he’ll join my company would inevitably lead to discussing my career shift. He thinks it’s a bit early and wants to wait until things are more settled on my end to avoid unnecessary complications.”

“That’s very considerate of him,” Yao Hong commented.

Lu Yiyao nodded. “Not just considerate, but also very smart, and…”

“Enough.” Yao Hong raised her hand to signal her artist to stop the endless praise of Ran Lin, having already heard enough to form a mental image.

However, Lu Yiyao, struck by a sudden thought, asked, “Hong Jie, do you know Mr. Qin?”

Yao Hong asked reflexively, “Which Mr. Qin?”

Lu Yiyao explained, “I don’t know his name, but he’s a boss in our circle, supposedly with significant influence, and… known for keeping male stars.”

Yao Hong paused, unsure. “The Mr. Qin you’re referring to is also a man?”

Lu Yiyao nodded.

After thinking for a while, Yao Hong cautiously said, “I might know one who fits the description, but I can’t confirm the habits you mentioned. Do you want me to inquire?”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” Lu Yiyao expressed his curiosity, not just about Mr. Qin but about Zhang Beichen’s behavior and how it might concern Ran Lin even more.

“Sure,” Yao Hong agreed without further questions, understanding her artist wouldn’t ask without a good reason.

After discussing Zhang Beichen, Lu Yiyao recalled the harmonious scene of Yao Hong and Wang Xi arriving together and asked curiously, “Have you and Wang Xi patched things up?”

“Not really,” the agent replied.

Confused, Lu Yiyao queried, “But you were chatting together just now…”

“Let bygones be bygones. There’s no need to dig up the past and assign blame. Now that everyone’s getting along comfortably, it’s better to look forward together,” Yao Hong said and added, “Besides, Wang Xi has changed quite a bit; she’s not as sharp as before.”

Lu Yiyao felt a bit awkward, sensing that if Wang Xi heard this, their recently mended friendship might start leaking again. But it wasn’t just Wang Xi who had changed; the Yao Hong he met at the beginning of his career and the one before him now also differed significantly. It’s just that, people are clearer about others than themselves.

……

A pleasant surprise turned sour due to Zhang Beichen, leaving many lingering doubts. After the party, Lu Yiyao had to rush to the airport for the earliest flight back to Shanghai, while Ran Lin returned home with Wang Xi.

Reaching home by dawn, Ran Lin tossed and turned before finally falling into a restless sleep filled with dreams. In these dreams, he was alternately on the set of “Drifting Story” and auditioning for <Sword of Fallen Flowers>. In the dream version of “Drifting Story”, he and Zhang Beichen clashed, with the internet overwhelmingly supporting Zhang Beichen and criticizing him. During the audition for <Sword of Fallen Flowers>, he wasn’t auditioning for Xu Chongfei but for Fang Xian, and without Yu Dong, he directly outperformed Zhang Beichen. Waiting for the results outside the audition room, they both sat together until he jubilantly hugged Zhang Beichen after hearing the results, only to be pushed away. Dream Zhang Beichen questioned him, “You beat me, and yet you want me to be happy for you?”

The subsequent dream sequences were fragmented and illogical, with only a profound sense of sadness remaining, sour and oppressive.

Waking up after 10 a.m., the weather was overcast and windy, with occasional rumbling of thunder. These past few days hadn’t been very hot, so Ran Lin had left the window open instead of using the air conditioner, causing the wind to whistle through the screen.

Ding-dong—

The doorbell snapped Ran Lin out of his daze. Groggily, he headed to the door, intending to peek through the peephole, only to hear the energetic voice of Liu Wanwan. “Ran Ge, time to get up—”

Ran Lin couldn’t help but smile, remembering that he was supposed to start with the Lantern Blossoms crew tomorrow, and today Liu Wanwan was coming over to help him pack.

“Morning,” Ran Lin greeted as he opened the door and let his assistant in. Liu Wanwan, accustomed to Ran Lin’s habit of saying “morning” at any time of the day, entered and shut the door behind her, commenting on the dimness due to the cloudy weather. “Why don’t you turn on the lights?”

No sooner had she said it than she turned on the lights herself. The entryway brightened, illuminating Ran Lin’s face.

Liu Wanwan paused in the middle of changing her shoes, frowning. “Ran Ge, did you not rest well? Why are your dark circles so severe?”

Ran Lin scratched his head, not offering any explanation, simply saying, “Maybe I didn’t sleep very well.”

Liu Wanwan hurriedly changed her shoes and said, “Then you should go back to sleep. I can handle the packing.”

“It’s okay.” Ran Lin, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, suggested, “I’ll wash my face, and then we can pack together.”

Ran Lin never brought much luggage when joining a crew, as most of the time, he’d be wearing costumes. However, since the shoot would last until the end of November and the weather would get colder, he needed to pack more bulky clothing.

With plenty of time, they packed while chatting leisurely, and before they knew it, it was noon. Liu Wanwan finally closed the suitcase, her task completed.

To reward his assistant, Ran Lin suggested, “Let’s go out for lunch. What do you want to eat?”

Liu Wanwan, never shy with her boss, quickly browsed through her mental map of delicacies, torn between Chinese, Japanese, barbecue, and other cuisines. Before she could decide, her phone rang.

She answered promptly, “Xi Jie.”

Wang Xi: “Are you with Ran Lin?”

Hearing the urgency in Wang Xi’s tone, Liu Wanwan sensed something was wrong. “Yes, we’ve just finished packing for tomorrow’s shoot.”

Wang Xi immediately said, “Hand him the phone.”

Taking Liu Wanwan’s phone, Ran Lin suddenly realized his own phone was on silent, left by his pillow in the bedroom. Presumably, Wang Xi had called it first and then contacted Liu Wanwan when no one answered.

“Xi Jie,” Ran Lin naturally greeted, expecting something about tomorrow’s shoot.

However, Wang Xi bluntly asked, “What exactly happened between you, Lu Yiyao, and Zhang Beichen at yesterday’s party?”

Ran Lin’s heart skipped a beat, almost reflexively asking, “Was it caught on camera?”

He had been cautious during their conversation the previous day, nearly certain no one within earshot could overhear them. Moreover, that kind of party wasn’t easily accessible, so how could…

“Yes.” Wang Xi’s simple confirmation extinguished any hope Ran Lin might have had.

For a moment, Ran Lin blanked out, unable to remember if they had said anything inappropriate the day before.

“But it’s only a video, and not clear at that. The conversation itself wasn’t captured.” Wang Xi continued, “The person who filmed it was quite far away.”

Ran Lin: “…Xi Jie, can you give me such crucial information first next time?”

He was almost undone by Gu Jie’s earlier scare, and now the agent’s news was giving him heart palpitations!

Wang Xi’s voice remained serious. “It’s not time for jokes yet. What exactly did you guys talk about?”

Ran Lin pondered for a moment before replying, “About that time in Hengdian, to deflect attention from his gay photos, they tried to frame me and Lu Yiyao.”

“All these old issues are being brought up now?” The agent on the phone clearly sounded incredulous.

“We never had a chance to clear the air before, and this time it just came up.” Aside from the messy details about Mr. Qin and Ding Kai, that was essentially it. Maybe it was just a bunch of old, trivial matters, but accumulated over time, they eroded relationships.

Wang Xi: “So you almost came to blows over it?”

Ran Lin paused, hurriedly clarifying, “No, not at all…”

“That’s because you’re quick-witted,” Wang Xi replied tersely, “and lucky that Lu Yiyao didn’t really lose his cool. Otherwise, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t have stopped him.”

Ran Lin was shocked, almost suspecting the agent had been spying on them at the scene to know so much.

“The video has been posted on Weibo,” Wang Xi added, as if anticipating his thoughts, “saying you guys had a disagreement.”

“Is it serious?” Ran Lin asked because he felt that even if it was captured, as Wang Xi said, without audio, it wouldn’t matter. They were just three people sitting and chatting together, and even if they all stood up in the end, so what? Standing up doesn’t necessarily mean a disagreement; couldn’t it be an emotional moment?

As expected, Wang Xi calmly responded, “It’s okay. After all, there wasn’t a fight in the end, and it wasn’t obvious in the video. It could be interpreted as either a tense atmosphere before a fight or an animated conversation that led you to stand up. I called to remind you to follow up with any explanations from Zhang Beichen or Lu Yiyao. Also, I wanted to confirm if anything else happened that could be dangerous if another video is released, catching us off guard.”

“There’s nothing else,” Ran Lin affirmed. “After I pulled Lu Yiyao away, you and Hong Jie came over, and I was with you for the rest of the time.”

“Ok,” Wang Xi said, feeling reassured. “Go ahead and pack your luggage.”

After hanging up, Ran Lin felt conflicted. How could he be at ease? Though the agent made it sound simple, it was still negative gossip that, while not damaging at the core, affected his mood.

By the time Ran Lin realized what he was doing, he had already opened Weibo.

Whether due to the daytime traffic on Weibo being less aggressive than at night or not, the keyword “Drifters Discord” ranked fourth on the trending list but didn’t have an overwhelming number of reposts. It was just a few marketing accounts jumping around—

[Reality Gossip Lane: Drifters Discord, brotherhood broken?! Yesterday someone caught Lu Yiyao, Zhang Beichen, and Ran Lin at a gathering. The three appeared to be arguing, with Lu Yiyao almost coming to blows 🤯. Fortunately, Ran Lin intervened, and in the end, they left on bad terms 😨. Although the National First Love Drifters has been over for two years, the Drifters occasionally reunite. Some netizens question the authenticity, wondering if this conflict is a long-standing resentment erupting or a mere accidental event… [Video link] [Read more]]

The narrative was too obvious, just like the blurry video linked, leaving one speechless. If not personally involved, one might not even discern what happened in the video, let alone identify the individuals involved. It’s impressive how the paparazzi managed to narrate the event so vividly.

The person who filmed it must have seen the situation clearly, so their explanation almost represents the truth. However, the video was too poorly shot, which explains Wang Xi’s lack of urgency. Such “evidence” lacks both persuasiveness and impact.

As expected, the comments were mostly mocking:

[With this quality, please don’t bother posting 😔]

[I just want to say, at a friends’ gathering, can’t we stand up? Do we have to sit quietly and chat? 🐶]

[Are you sure Lu Yiyao standing up wasn’t just about giving Zhang Beichen a manly hug? 🤷]

[Are you running out of actual news to dig up, just creating issues where there are none. Next topic.]

Ran Lin meticulously examined all the trend-setting marketing accounts, confirming they were self-promoting and didn’t delve into any deeper conspiracies.

After all, this news benefits none of the three involved. Lu Yiyao certainly wouldn’t do such a thing, but neither would Zhang Beichen, as the news is negative for him too. If he really wanted to cause harm, he could’ve arranged for a clearer video or even recorded their conversation and manipulated it.

The only explanation was that they were all unlucky to have a confrontation during a rare opportunity for airing grievances and just happened to encounter paparazzi.

Ran Lin regretted not being more cautious, managing to block the audio but not the visual.

Seeing that the video hadn’t stirred up much trouble, Ran Lin logged out of Weibo and took Liu Wanwan out for a meal. After lunch, he sent Liu Wanwan home to rest and returned to his apartment to read the script for <The Legend of Lantern Blossoms>.

By the time he looked up again, it was already dark outside, and the wind had picked up, though the rain had yet to fall. Ran Lin set down the script, pondering what to have for dinner when Xia Xinran sent a message—[What’s going on with you, Lu Yiyao, and Zhang Beichen?]

Knowing it was a friend inquiring after seeing the Weibo post, Ran Lin quickly replied—[It’s nothing. I saw the video at noon. The quality is so bad you can’t even see faces.]

Xia Xinran sent a voice message. “Haven’t you heard of ‘Three men make a tiger*’? You saw it at noon, right? Well, you better look again now. Public opinion has fermented. There hasn’t been much news in the circle lately, and now that it’s related to Lu Yiyao, do you think it will just blow over if you ignore it?”

*Refers to the idea that if a lie is repeated often enough by enough people, it will be believed as the truth. The proverb comes from a story where a man asks a ruler if he would believe that a tiger roamed the streets if one person said it, to which the ruler said no. Then he asked if the ruler would believe it if two people said it, and the ruler was unsure. Finally, he asked if the ruler would believe it if three people claimed a tiger was in the streets, and the ruler admitted he would. This is also known as the Woozle effect.

Ran Lin frowned, slightly uneasy at Xia Xinran’s words, but he wasn’t completely disheartened. If things had truly spiraled out of control, Xia Xinran wouldn’t be calmly messaging him; he’d be calling or even video-calling.

Without continuing the conversation with Xia Xinran, Ran Lin logged out of WeChat and reopened Weibo. “Drifters Discord” was hanging right in the search box, having climbed to the top of the trending list since he last checked.

Ran Lin opened the trending topic to find that, as expected, the marketing accounts had sprung into action. In addition to the ones he saw during the day, many more had joined in, thanks to the increased traffic in the evening, boosting comments and reposts.

Ran Lin clicked on a comment to understand why Xia Xinran mentioned the proverb “Three men make a tiger.” While most comments during the day were mocking, now many were eagerly discussing what could have been said to make the usually mild-mannered Lu Yiyao nearly come to blows.

The speculation allowed for a lot of imagination, with discussions ranging from potential love triangles to outright brawls.

Overall, the tone was still one of enjoying the drama—just as he had thought earlier, without an actual fight, there was no emotional resonance; it was all just gossip and speculation. If the video had captured Lu Yiyao landing a punch on Zhang Beichen, the uproar would have been real, with fans going crazy and bystanders getting a thrill.

After spending some time reading comments and refreshing the page, the marketing accounts’ posts in the trending topic suddenly changed. Among the uniform “Drifters Discord” posts, there appeared “Zhang Beichen Responds”.

And just ten minutes after he had last cleared them, his “@mentions” notification was again filled with hundreds of new messages.

Ran Lin clicked in to find most of them were Zhang Beichen’s fans forwarding a tweet from him, and in that tweet posted just seven or eight minutes ago, he had tagged both him and Lu Yiyao:

[Seems like we can’t even have an exciting chat amongst brothers anymore without someone saying we’re about to fight 😂 @Lu Yiyao @Ran Lin】

Zhang Beichen’s response was typical of clarifying rumors, further confirming Ran Lin’s thought that the paparazzi incident was unrelated to Zhang Beichen and purely accidental. Most comments under Zhang Beichen’s post were his fans denouncing the marketing accounts for spreading rumors, though some were questioning why, out of the three men captured, only he had responded.

Of course, it wasn’t just Zhang Beichen who should respond. Even if Zhang Beichen hadn’t tagged them, facing such news, a unified response was most convincing, which was why Wang Xi had instructed him to watch for responses from the others at noon.

After a moment’s thought, Ran Lin retweeted Zhang Beichen’s post: [Guess we can’t drink either, alcohol is a deadly poison 😆//@ZhangBeichen: Seems like we can’t even have an exciting chat amongst brothers anymore without someone saying we’re about to fight 😂 @Lu Yiyao @Ran Lin]

In less than three minutes, Lu Yiyao retweeted his post. [How do you expect me to follow up with that…//@RanLin: Guess we can’t drink either, alcohol is a deadly poison 😆//@ZhangBeichen: Seems like we can’t even have an exciting chat amongst brothers anymore without someone saying we’re about to fight 😂 @Lu Yiyao @Ran Lin]

The tone of the conversation started to shift with Ran Lin’s retweet, and while there were still serious discussions about whether they really had a fight, Lu Yiyao’s followers turned the mood light with their comments:

[We can finish that sentence for you, love is like a knife that scrapes the bone*!]

*This is a line from the poem Song of Wine, Sex, and Wealth.

[Love is like a knife that scrapes the bone!]

[Love!]

[is!]

[like!]

[a!]

[knife!]

Impressed by Lu Yiyao’s fans’ ability to form such unique patterns in the fierce competition of comments, Ran Lin could almost picture Lu Yiyao’s face when seeing these comments.

About an hour after the three involved had responded, the other two members of the Drifters group also chimed in—

[Xia Xinran: What’s the meaning of having a gathering without me? 😠//@LuYiYao: …]

[Gu Jie: Lucky I wasn’t there. I’m scary when I’m drunk 😨.jpg//@XiaXinran: …]

The complete gathering of the Drifters group made the previous discord rumors seem more like mere gossip. But at 8 p.m., when Weibo’s traffic peaked, the original account “Reality Gossip Lane” that first broke the news released another video. Though still a bit distant, it was clearer than the previous one, clearly showing Lu Yiyao getting up angrily and Ran Lin grabbing his arm.

Many bystanders were astonished. Just when the mood was harmonizing, the wind changed direction again, and “Reality Gossip Lane” even began driving the narrative harder than during the day.

Suddenly, “Tang Xiaoyu and Shen Ying Announce Relationship” dropped into the trending searches.

Ran Lin was first startled to see his friend’s name, then doubly so at seeing his friend’s girlfriend’s name. Shen Ying, one of the rising stars, had significantly higher popularity than Tang Xiaoyu. However, Tang Xiaoyu was currently starring in a popular TV drama with excellent reviews and ratings, and his popularity was set to rise after the show’s conclusion. The pair were certainly a match of talent and beauty, sweet and pleasing to the eye.

Before this, there had been no sign of a relationship between the two—hardly any interaction. Shen Ying’s fans were shocked, and Tang Xiaoyu’s fans were baffled.

But before the fans could start fighting, the “Win by Lying Down CP*” spilled all the details of their relationship—they had been childhood friends, attending the same kindergarten, primary school, and even the same grade in junior high. They went to different universities for performing arts, one in Beijing and the other in Shanghai, but their love, founded on shared dreams, blossomed even more beautifully.

*Tang (唐) Xiaoyu and Shen Ying (滢). The CP takes Tang (躺), which means to lie down, and Ying (赢), which means to win, since they sound similar.

With that, there was no more room for disagreement among the fans. What were notions of mismatch when fate had destined them for each other? Who would dare break them apart?

The news exploded, along with various related keywords like “Tang Xiaoyu,” “Shen Ying,” and “childhood sweethearts,” pushing the Drifters’ trivial rumors out of the spotlight.

Ran Lin had almost forgotten he was recently trending too, now engrossed in a well-known influencer’s poetic long post on the beautiful relationship of the couple. [The most beautiful love isn’t about winning at the starting line but about having ‘won’ even before the race begins…]

Influencers indeed knew how to captivate hearts with their words.

But—

Is the love they’re talking about the same as the one his friend Tang Xiaoyu experienced during the filming of <Sword of Fallen Flowers> often staying out all night? One is like swinging under a spring shower, the other speeding on Central Ring Road—the gap between the text and memory is rather vast…

Ding-dong.

Ran Lin’s phone notification showed a message from Tang Xiaoyu, clicking in to see three big laughing faces. [Sorry for stealing your spotlight 😬😬😬]

Ran Lin’s lips twitched into a smile he couldn’t suppress.

It wasn’t an apology; Tang Xiaoyu had clearly done it deliberately. Announcing their relationship not earlier or later, but precisely when the video of the supposed discord surfaced, probably left “Reality Gossip Lane” in tears.

Ran Lin—[Thanks, Third Brother, for the timely rain 🙏]

Tang Xiaoyu—[No need to be polite. My sister said we were going public anyway, and helping out with the rain was just a side task 🌹]

Ran Lin gazed at the vibrant rose, perplexed as to why, despite being in a relationship himself, he felt a bittersweet pang of being force-fed dog food.

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