Chapter 455: Really Too Ice-Cold Clever

The negative impact of the Weibo Night incident on Bai Liang is hard to discuss, because he himself never paid any attention to it.

As long as he doesn't pay too much attention, it's as if nothing happened~

Of course, Sister Yanzi claims she's bearing the burden for him—eight hundred marketing accounts' keyboards are about to smoke from typing.

But you raise soldiers for a thousand days to use them for a single moment; if Little White Brother never creates any such commotion, wouldn't Sister Yanzi's plan be wasted?

Now that the first shoe has dropped, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Starting this way is actually quite good—it's far better than suddenly facing a completely uncontrollable situation.

Sister Yanzi fears most that several young ladies would suddenly turn against Little White Brother and collectively attack him online.

Just imagining that scenario makes one shiver.

And Sister Yanzi has always thought this was the most likely thing to happen.

But for years, she's revised her PR strategy multiple times, and this never occurred.

For instance, this time, Na Zha and Sister Reba truly showed remarkable restraint.

Yes, even though these two girls were so obvious, fundamentally, they maintained considerable restraint and calmness.

Even Na Zha's statement on stage could be interpreted differently.

Waited for years just to stand on stage with him?

Must it be viewed through the lens of romance? Wouldn't a career perspective make more sense?

After all, Bai Liang's first acquaintance in the entertainment industry was Na Zha; they became "friends," and seeing him soar, it's perfectly natural for Na Zha to harbor such a desire to catch up—it's human nature.

If only netizens could believe this nonsense~

Fortunately, although they don't believe a single word about "friendship" or "friend relations," having this interpretation available is enough.

Sister Yanzi even thinks Na Zha's brain suddenly became sharp—she managed to strike such a precise balance, completely unlike her usual clueless self.

Na Zha: When it comes to protecting him, I've always been clever!

After all, it's not like I'm going to explode with Di Li Sister Reba—no need to be so harsh~

In fact, if Sister Reba hadn't pulled that stunt asking Bai Liang to help her put on earrings, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.

As for the aftermath, Sister Yanzi didn't focus her main efforts on "denying rumors"; instead, she had marketing accounts subtly include the titles of those two TV dramas whenever discussing these ambiguous topics.

Convincing netizens this was a publicity stunt, they might not believe; but if they "figure out" themselves that it's a publicity stunt, they'll be utterly convinced.

As for fans, no further explanation is needed—those who would unfollow over such elements only believe official announcements; the rest will fill in the gaps themselves.

However, soon after, due to a certain event, this kind of public opinion gradually faded.

Time flew, and it was Spring Festival again.

This year's Spring Festival Gala still dragged Bai Liang into duty, but among the young ladies he knows well, only Li Xin and Zhang Tian'ai seemed likely to appear.

One would join a choir performance, the other would dance.

But because Zhang Tian'ai's segment was scheduled late, Bai Liang attended two rehearsals and only saw Li Xin.

For Bai Liang's Spring Festival Gala overtime team, this wasn't good news.

After all, because Bai Liang has been dragged into the Gala for years, they've had to work overtime too, missing family reunion dinners—but luckily compensated with big red envelopes.

The red envelopes were so large that many in the company wanted to snatch this spot~

Meanwhile, inside the company, there were rumors about the overtime.

That is, if Na Zha, Sister Reba, Sister Tian Tian, and other young ladies were present, they'd likely receive double red envelopes!

These beautiful, wealthy young ladies are always extremely generous in this regard!

They've never let anyone down~

Unfortunately, after flipping through the entire program list this year, no young ladies who had given red envelopes before appeared.

They all went home for the New Year~

As for Li Xin… the overtime team found her unfamiliar, and this young lady isn't particularly famous.

Li Xin: Waaah~ I'm the female lead of The Longest Day in Chang'an! How can you be unfamiliar with me?! Isn't a supporting lead still a lead?!

And not famous?! Where's the lack of fame? Look at this red envelope, look into my eyes and say it again!

Overtime team: You're the most famous! Top-tier female star!

After winning over Bai Liang's little followers with red envelopes, Li Xin turned to Bai Liang, "I forgot to ask you earlier—what time's your flight back to Jin Ling? We could go to the airport together; maybe we'll even be on the same flight."

Li Xin is from Suzhou, a true Jiangnan beauty, but since Suzhou has no airport, she must fly to another city first to return home.

But Bai Liang was puzzled, "Why would you fly to Jin Ling? Isn't Shanghai closer to your home?"

Hearing this, Li Xin couldn't help rolling her eyes, "Of course I want to go back with you."

"But I'm not going to Jin Ling—I'm flying straight to Dali, Yunnan after the show; my new drama starts filming on New Year's Day."

"No way."

Actually, she deliberately didn't tell Bai Liang about her flight plans earlier.

She knew perfectly well that Shanghai was closer to her home, yet she still chose the longer route, hoping to go to Jin Ling with Bai Liang first.

Put simply, she never intended to go home for reunion dinner tonight!

By the time she reached Jin Ling, it would already be at least ten or eleven at night—she wouldn't make it home in time.

So naturally, she'd just "hang out" at Bai Liang's place.

Sneak a reunion dinner, maybe even snag a few "elders'" red envelopes.

This clever idea had occurred to her during last year's Spring Festival Gala rehearsal!

After coming up with this brilliant plan, she thought her brain was suddenly so brilliant!

Really, she was far too ice-cold clever~

Then, she even prepared gifts for Bai Liang's elders.

Everything was ready—just waiting for the right wind.

So this jerk is flying to Dali, Yunnan?

Damn it, just stay home and spend the New Year properly! Don't your family miss you?

After confirming his plan had completely failed, Li Xin didn't show much outward reaction; since the plan couldn't succeed, he'd better hide his little schemes for now and wait for next time.

At that moment, she suddenly frowned, "Put your mask on properly. I heard it's still pretty serious."

Hearing this, Bai Liang didn't argue—he quickly adjusted his crooked mask.

But he grumbled, "I can't wear it when I do makeup and go on stage later, and there's hardly anyone outside right now."

"That's true~ Can I tag along to your makeup room later? My segment has five performers, and the makeup room they assigned us isn't big at all."

"You five are crammed into one makeup room? No way."

"What can I do? Not everyone can have a solo act like you," Li Xin muttered slightly.

"Aren't there more than just me singing solo?"

"There's one more brother, Cheng. The Spring Festival Gala lineup's out—only you two have solo acts. Real prestige~"

"Then come to my room."

Bai Liang had participated in several Spring Festival Galas and still had some sense of how crowded and hectic the backstage was.

Their acts were both in the first half, when the crowd was thickest—hallways were packed solid with people.

The performers in Li Xin's segment weren't nobodies; each probably brought several people, and together they'd surely burst that tiny makeup room.

Still, Li Xin had originally hoped for a moment alone.

But she discovered Bai Liang's side wasn't any less crowded than her own bursting makeup room.

Because too many people kept popping in to say hello!

Of course, the upside was she could bask in his reflected glory.

Everyone came to greet Bai Liang—and seeing Li Xin there, they wouldn't dare ignore her.

Plus, sharing a makeup room with Bai Liang itself signaled something.

Some artists who'd never had much to do with her suddenly became much warmer.

Li Xin: Familiar taste~

After all, she'd once mooched off Bai Liang like this—and now, three years later, she was still mooching.

Thinking about it, she felt so unambitious!

But… it felt really good!

Of course, working hard on your own is good—but this kind of situation, where you can instantly rise just by leaning on a man, is truly addictive.

Oh right, this year's Spring Festival Gala hosts are Tong Tong Liya.

This month, someone leaked that she divorced her husband, then immediately became a host on the Spring Festival Gala—could this really be due to her own efforts?

Cough, cough—fortunately, Li Xin hadn't fully succumbed to this feeling.

It wasn't that her willpower was truly that strong; she knew Bai Liang's competition wasn't any less intense than the cutthroat world she fought in.

It might even be fiercer!

Otherwise, she wouldn't have resorted to such a desperate trick as mooching off his New Year's Eve dinner.

Too bad—it failed~

Bai Liang's act came first; Li Xin's came later.

After he finished performing, Li Xin couldn't help asking, "Will you wait for me to go to the airport together?"

"Of course~"

After the young lady happily took the stage, Bai Liang quickly removed his makeup and changed clothes. During the wait, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Hey~ Mom, I've got something to tell you…"

After hanging up, Bai Liang remembered something and wandered lazily around the backstage.

"Dou Xiao Ai—Happy New Year."

Zhang Tian'ai, who had just arrived at the CCTV studio backstage, looked delighted—she hadn't expected Bai Liang to remember to come find her.

"Happy New Year! Are you staying in Yanjing today?"

Hearing this, Bai Liang shook his head, "My new drama starts filming tomorrow—I have to head to the airport right after."

"Alright~"

Zhang Tian'ai silently swallowed the name and room number of her hotel, but her smile didn't fade a bit.

After Bai Liang left her makeup room, the young lady's good mood lasted.

She watched his retreating figure with a touch of reluctance, unable to suppress a sigh inside.

To this day, her photo from the Tokyo street remains one of her most iconic breakout images since her debut.

It still occasionally appears in super topics and Weibo comment sections.

But the identity of that mysterious photographer remains unknown.

She never told anyone who asked.

Sometimes, when she couldn't help thinking, she felt that as long as she never spoke up, at least in that Tokyo night, he belonged to her.

—

"Close call—I almost messed up!"

On the way to the airport, Li Xin chattered excitedly to Bai Liang about her nervousness during her first Spring Festival Gala performance—of course, she was nestled against his chest as she spoke.

Since she couldn't mooch his New Year's Eve dinner, and hadn't gotten any alone time in the makeup room,

she had no reason to hold back now on the way to the airport.

If the luxury car hadn't had other people in it, she might have done something even more "extreme."

Of course, her current behavior was already pretty extreme.

This young lady looked cold and serene, but in reality, she was a chatterbox champion.

With time running short, she chattered even more!

She was desperate to pour out everything she'd wanted to say after so long without seeing him.

She really did have so much to say!

According to the original plan, these words were meant to be slowly shared over a wonderful evening at Bai Liang's home.

Now? Time is tight, the task is heavy—full throttle!

Bai Liang felt as if a chatty lark were chirping nonstop beside his ear, chirp-chirp, chirp-chirp.

Her voice was pleasant, but it was simply too "noisy."

So he couldn't help but think of a way to silence her ever-moving lips.

"Mmm~~"

The others in the car had all just received big red envelopes today.

Now, each one was more self-aware than the last—either pretending to sleep with eyes shut, or pretending to be dead while staring at their phones.

They all pretended they couldn't hear the sounds behind them at all.

Though the two of them really were making quite a bit of noise—there were even smacking sounds!

"I mmm~"

"Let me first hear you… mmm~~"

After being interrupted three times in a row while casting, Li Xin stopped struggling, hugged Bai Liang tightly, closed her eyes, and surrendered to the moment—enjoying it.

"Sis, Xiao Bai Ge has already boarded!"

"Why would he board the moment he got to the airport?" Li Xin scratched her head; his departure was too sudden.

She'd assumed Bai Liang would wait for her nearly twenty minutes—he must have had plenty of time before the flight.

But unexpectedly, he'd rushed onto the plane right after passing security.

The timing was really tight.

"Sis, Xiao Bai Ge probably waited on purpose, risking missing the flight…"

Okay, no need to remind me!

Li Xin's upward-curving lips revealed her quiet joy—girls deeply appreciated such signs of care.

Though inwardly, she still felt a hint of regret.

The flight from Yanjing to Jin Ling took about two hours.

But to return to her hometown from Jin Ling, Li Xin still needed two and a half hours by car.

By the time she got home, New Year's Eve would already be over.

And she didn't really want her assistants to go through so much trouble—so she simply said: book a hotel and stay overnight in Jin Ling.

Just as she stepped out of the boarding gate and opened her phone, an unknown number called.

"Hello~"

"Hi, I'm Bai Liang's mother. If you don't mind, I'll call you Qianqian. I'm here to pick you up~"

"Huh?!"

Li Xin looked up and saw a face that was unfamiliar yet familiar.

When Bai's mother had visited the "Qing Yu Nian" set, Li Xin had already finished filming.

Back then, she'd regretted not staying longer at the set like Meng Jie and the others.

But of course she recognized Bai's mother—media had photographed her before, and she'd memorized her face well.

So the moment she saw the smiling figure waving at the exit, she recognized her in an instant!

Wow!!!

A wave of happiness instantly enveloped her~

"Little handsome guy called to say you might not make it home today—he asked you to stay with us tonight."

Bai's mother quickly explained the reason to Li Xin.

Though she'd already guessed it, this confirmation still left her with a feeling she couldn't quite put into words.

Meanwhile, the thoughtful Bai's mother slipped her a thick red envelope and smiled: "Happy New Year! Here's your lucky money~"

"Auntie, I'm almost thirty…" Li Xin blushed nervously.

As she mentioned her age, she was cautious, afraid Bai's mother might show any sign of displeasure.

Fortunately, none appeared~

The other woman only smiled: "Thirty is still a child to me—and you're not married yet, right? As long as you're not married, you can still get red envelopes."

This remark nearly made Li Xin change her address right then and there.

But she calmed herself, and quietly changed her term of address from "auntie" to "sister."

Though it felt a bit odd, it would surely make Bai's mother happy!

"Happy New Year!"

Li Xin's assistant frantically signaled, winking and gesturing wildly—finally snapping her out of it.

"Sister, I brought you a gift!"

"Oh? You brought a gift? How thoughtful!"

Of course, Li Xin couldn't actually join the New Year's Eve dinner.

After confirming Bai Liang wouldn't be returning for the holiday, his family had already finished dinner by four-thirty in the afternoon.

So she'd only be staying overnight—she wouldn't even meet Bai Liang's grandparents, who'd already gone to bed after watching their grandson's show.

But for Li Xin, this New Year's Eve had already been absolutely amazing!

Especially the process from disappointment to surprise made her almost laugh out loud in her sleep.

Oh right, Bai's mother had thoughtfully not assigned her a guest room, but let her stay in Bai Liang's room.

The flamboyant gaming equipment, the walls covered in figurines, and all sorts of random toys of various sizes fascinated her.

Li Xin did not go through Bai Liang's belongings, but she thoroughly toured the room and took several selfies for keepsake.

Hey! I really want to post this in the group to show off.

But she held back.

Showing off now would be too provocative, and Meng Jie and the others know Bai's mother—if they happen to have a stress reaction, "a cornered dog will jump over a wall," and that would be bad.

Stay calm, stay calm~

Yet, lying in bed in Bai Liang's room wearing her pajamas, Li Xin had barely closed her eyes when she felt she was "done for."

But smelling the faint fragrance on the sheets—even though they were surely washed and carried no trace of Bai Liang's scent—she still became entranced, unable to resist pressing her face close to inhale deeply.

Then she rolled around on the bed several times, finally pulling the blanket over her head.

Done for? Fine, I give up!

(End of Chapter)