As the weather was really hot at noon that day, Gu Xizhi stayed at the scene for a while and encountered Liang Ying's request for ice cream.

This request occurred after Gu Xizhi finished filming a scene. She was attacked as soon as she returned under the awning. Meeting Liang Ying's earnest eyes.

Gu Xizhi was very familiar with her look and immediately said: "No, no way."

Liang Ying said: "Then I'll borrow money to buy it."

"Whose money are you going to borrow?"

"I'll borrow from anyone."

Gu Xizhi was speechless.

She took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I'll agree, but you have to promise me you'll only eat half!"

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you, I'll go find Sister Cindy, then."

Gu Xizhi was too lazy to pay attention to her and just said: "Mm."

She thought Liang Ying would leave after hearing this, but to her surprise, after Gu Xizhi said those words, Liang Ying suddenly looked toward the entrance of the amusement park.

"Eh? Isn't that Big Brother Tang?"

Gu Xizhi came back to her senses, followed her gaze, and saw Tang Yu walking in from the entrance of the amusement park.

He seemed to see her, greeted her and seemingly coming towards her.

Gu Xizhi was a little surprised.

Although she didn't have any feelings for him from the beginning to the end, he appeared patient. The two of them maintained an unspoken understanding and their relationship was somewhat acceptable. However, recently, Gu Xizhi was unsure about what kept Tang Yu busy. Like a dragon whose tail or head can't be seen. His sudden appearance here now only adds to the sense of strangeness.

She took a few steps forward and approached, asking, "Are you looking for me?"

Tang Yu, upon seeing Gu Xizhi, nodded and said, "I heard you're filming here, so I came to take a look."

Gu Xizhi was puzzled, "Are you so free?"

"I happen to be in the vicinity," Tang Yu said. "Sorry if it's a bit sudden, but I'd like to invite you for dinner tonight. I'll wait for you to finish work. Is that okay?"

Gu Xizhi: "But I still need a long time, are you sure you want to wait?"

"It doesn't matter." Tang Yu looked at his watch and confirmed, "I'll wait for you."

Although he said so, the idea of an actor waiting at the set for an actress for non-work-related reasons does make one wonder.

Perhaps this is the reason why no actor has met a friend of the opposite sex to visit the cast so far. So, when Tang Yu arrived, everyone seemed full of gossip. Not only did the girls find it hard to contain their curiosity and frequently cast glances in Tang Yu's direction, but even some of the guys looked surprised.

She Jia was obviously a little surprised when she saw Tang Yu. She glanced at Qu Xizhi, who was reading the script and doing her makeup on the side, and couldn't help but ask, "Miss Qu, is Mr. Tang Yu making a guest appearance in our film?"

Qu Xizhi raised her head and glanced in Tang Yu's direction, but did not answer immediately. Her manager Ling Xian responded quickly: "Probably, a guest appearance as a fly."

When night fell, the crew finally wrapped up for the day. By then, Tang Yu had been waiting for nearly three hours. Gu Xizhi finished her makeup and changed her clothes, finally finding some time to sit down and have a proper chat with him.

As they waited for the driver, Gu Xizhi, looking at the car approaching not far away, couldn't help but ask Tang Yu, "Tang Yu, you must have something important to talk about today."

Tang Yu glanced at her sideways.

In that glance, there seemed to be surprise, but it vanished in an instant.

"You are very smart. I really can't hide anything from you." Tang Yu said, "Yes, I have something I want you to help me with."

So that's why you invited me to dinner?" Gu Xizhi shrugged, "Actually, you don't have to be so polite with me. You have helped me. If you want my help with anything, just ask. I'll do my best to assist within my capabilities."

"But, to be honest, I'm a bit embarrassed to bring up this matter." The car stopped in front of them, and Tang Yu said, "Let's talk over dinner, okay?"

Gu Xizhi looked at her insistent expression and then at the car parked in front of them, "Okay."

The car sped away, and the two of them arrived at a city's renowned luxurious seafood restaurant.

She had never had a private meal with Tang Yu before. Facing such an expensive restaurant and the expensive food on the table, Gu Xizhi was really murmuring in her heart. Although Tang Yu's attitude seemed generous, she couldn't bring herself to eat much. After a while, she quickly steered the conversation back.

"Tang Yu, actually you don't need to treat me to such an expensive dinner. I told you that if you are really in trouble, I will try my best to help you." The situation made her uncomfortable, and she couldn't eat much.

Faced with her urging, Tang Yu seemed to have no intention of procrastinating any longer. He nodded and said while getting food for her: "Since you said so, I won't hide it from you." He said: "Actually, the reason I wanted to meet you today is to ask if you would join me on a TV show."

Gu Xizhi was surprised, "On a show?"

Tang Yu said: "That's right, a few months ago..."

He slowly narrated his affairs, and Gu Xizhi listened quietly...

A few months ago, Tang Yu's grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her condition was very painful, but she was trying to appear strong for the sake of her family. 

As her condition reached its final stages, both the doctors and the patient had given up hope. Tang Yu's family had made preparations to accompany her on her final journey, but his grandmother remained optimistic and had never uttered a single word of complaint.

It's just that the old lady is very open-minded about everything, but she is very concerned about her grandson Tang Yu's future.

In Tang Yu's words, although his grandmother was deeply concerned about this matter, she never mentioned it to him.

During his time with her, she never expressed any opinion on this issue. However, even though she didn't show it on the surface, in her spare time, she couldn't help but listen to Tang Yu's news, and occasionally, when she saw pictures of Tang Yu and a female star together on TV, she would secretly note down the name of the female star.

Tang Yu's grandmother was smart and sensitive, and she hoped her grandson's marriage would turn out well, but she never actively said anything or made demands.

"So, you want me to appear on 'The Truth' ?" Gu Xizhi finally understood his purpose.

"Yes," Tang Yu sat across from Gu Xizhi and hadn't touched his chopsticks for a long time. "A few years ago when we appeared on that show, she remembered you and liked you." He paused for a moment. "But don't worry, if you agree, I will communicate with the show's production team. We won't make a big fuss, won't ask intrusive questions, and won't make things up. If you're uncomfortable, you don't even have to answer questions related to me. I'll answer all the questions."

He looked a bit ashamed as he continued, "I don't have any ulterior motives, I just want to give my grandmother some peace of mind."

His tone sounded sincere, and after some thought, Gu Xizhi said, "But I'm currently busy with filming. It might not be convenient for me to appear on the show."

Tang Yu said, "I'll negotiate with the investors of 'Black and White Feathers.' When the filming is almost finished, we'll have a promotional appearance on 'The Truth' with the main cast. You can join in the name of the promotion."

He seemed to have considered every detail. After hearing this, Gu Xizhi thought for a moment and finally said: "Okay, I agree."

After dinner, Tang Yu accompanied Gu Xizhi back to her hotel. She appeared composed throughout their parting, but after he left, Gu Xizhi had a troubled expression.

Regarding Tang Yu's request tonight, Gu Xizhi was actually very worried.

Two years of stepping back from the limelight had given her a new perspective on the entertainment industry. Her emotions had gradually settled during these two years, and she had lost interest in matters outside of acting. She didn't want to get involved in any more rumors, especially not the kind of sensationalism that she had never desired since the beginning of her career.

However, when she was at her lowest point two years ago, Tang Yu genuinely introduced her to some important people, which made Gu Xizhi feel indebted to him.

This feeling was quite frustrating.

Even though she didn't want to do it, in this situation, she would reluctantly force herself to do it. 

The entire evening, Liang Ying had been in the living room, watching TV while occasionally running to the balcony to check what was happening downstairs. When Gu Xizhi returned, she was the first to notice and eagerly opened the door to wait for her. Gu Xizhi was completely oblivious to Liang Ying's intentions, but when she saw Liang Ying waiting for her upon her return to the hotel, she was touched.

"Why haven't you slept?" The first time she closed the door, Gu Xizhi felt a bit regretful for not bringing her snacks. Liang Ying, with enthusiasm on her face, replied, "My dear Xiao Jing, I was waiting for you." Then she couldn't resist her curiosity, "So, how did it go? Why are you back so early? Didn't he invite you somewhere else?"

Gu Xizhi was about to put down her bag to change her clothes when Liang Ying's words seemed to register, and she looked at her in disbelief. "Liang Ying?!"

"What?"

Gu Xizhi looked angry, "What are you thinking about?"

Liang Ying said innocently: "I'm thinking about what everyone is thinking!

"What's everyone else is thinking?"

"You and Tang Yu! He waited for you all afternoon, and then you went on a date together."

"That wasn't a date; it was just dinner!"

"Dinner is also a date."

"It wasn't a date!" She reiterated, "He met me for a business matter."

"Oh," with a reluctantly believing tone, Liang Ying asked, "So, what did you talk about? Tell me all about it."

Without saying a word, Gu Xizhi pinched her ears and walked to the bathroom, "You go take a shower and sleep, mind your own business!"

Liang Ying was pushed into the bathroom to take a shower, but Gu Xizhi still felt angry.

The things going on in this little devil's head were starting to scare her. She just wanted to kick her out of the room.

She took a deep breath where she stood and walked to the living room to pour herself a glass of water. Just as she had finished a sip and was about to return to her room, she was startled by Qu Xizhi leaning against the wall.

Qu Xizhi's door was wide open, and she stood there by the wall as if waiting for Gu Xizhi to pass by.

The moment Gu Xizhi turned around, Qu Xizhi's eyes had already glanced over casually.

"You still have a good relationship with Tang Yu."

She used a statement, not a question.

Gu Xizhi was stunned for a moment.

This was actually quite sharp, and Gu Xizhi thought for a moment before saying, "It's not as you imagine."

"Oh," Qu Xizhi seemed uninterested in hearing more, "So if I ask you to have no further connection with that person, will you listen to me?"

Gu Xizhi remained silent.

"Okay." Qu Xizhi turned around decisively and returned to her room, "Goodnight."

The door closed in an instant, and the whole world became completely silent, leaving Gu Xizhi standing at a loss outside the door.

***

Several days later, 'Black and White Feathers' did clear its schedule to appear on 'The Truth'.

Although the program "The Truth" has been criticized for always jumping on the artist's privacy red line, it was evident that the more daring and stimulating the games, the more they captured the audience's attention. As a popular variety show, it had been around for several years, yet it had managed to maintain its popularity throughout, standing tall among its competitors.

Director Scarlett Li didn't pay much attention to this publicity, but due to the demands of the investors, she managed to secure some time for the actors.

This evening, many of the "Black and White Feathers" cast members appeared on "The Truth." However, one of the leading actors, Qu Xizhi, never participated in variety shows. As a result, the more prominent actors on the show included only Gu Xizhi and a few other guests.

It is obvious that "The Truth" production team excelled in creating an engaging atmosphere. Facing this situation, they invited Tang Yu as a special guest. In no time, tickets for the live audience were sold out, and some even tried to resell them at a higher price.

Three years ago, when Tang Yu was answering questions for the "The Truth" crew, he unreservedly admitted his fondness for Gu Xizhi. In the eyes of the public, he seemed like a deeply affectionate guardian. It was at that time that many fans began to anticipate news of their relationship. Even though they hadn't officially confirmed anything over the years, in the eyes of devoted fans, they had long been a couple. Faced with this situation, it was natural for fans to be eager to witness this moment live.

At the recording of the show, Lili, who was reviewing the question sheet, could be heard faintly, even though she was quite far from Gu Xizhi. "This question is fine; I can let it pass. However, I find the next question a bit problematic."

"Okay, Sister Lili, as long as you think there's a problem, we'll cut it down. Isn't that cool enough?"

"That's great. Oh, by the way, can we see the questions for the other artists?"

"Sister Lili, other artists' questions are reviewed by their own teams, and I'm afraid we can't interfere with their questions. Please don't make it difficult for me. We really can't get involved in others' questions."

"Okay then, remember to remove that question."

"Okay, Sister Lili!"

….

The busy backstage was cluttered. It was already 8:25 p.m., and Gu Xizhi, who had finished putting on makeup, was sitting backstage. Waiting quietly, in the backstage, sometimes calm, sometimes nervous.

A few kilometers away at the hotel where the crew stayed, Liang Ying sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, eating potato chips and watching the live broadcast on TV, seemingly carefree at the hotel. At this moment, the door opened, and she was surprised to see Qu Xizhi returning. So, she excitedly put down the potato chips and waved to Qu Xizhi, "Xiao A'Qu, let's watch TV together."

Qu Xizhi had just finished a small social gathering and glanced at the TV screen. "I don't want to watch it."

The logo of 'The Truth' was very prominent, and she didn't seem very interested. "You watch."

After she said this, she threw the bag down, but Liang Ying very thoughtfully came forward and pulled her to sit down, "Come on, come on, are you tired? I'll give you a shoulder massage."

After she finished speaking, she wiped her hands with a tissue and squeezed Qu Xizhi's shoulders very carefully. Qu Xizhi raised her eyebrows and did not refuse for a moment.

The live broadcast scene on the monitor.

"Dear audience, it's time for our weekly meeting on The Truth…"

The host controlled the whole scene in front of the stage. Several guests sitting on the 'Truth Chair' were prepared by the staff with data collection helmets for the show. The stage lights gradually dimmed, leaving only six spotlights. These spotlights shone on the six artists, namely Gu Xizhi, She Jia, and the other three guests from 'Black and White Feathers,' as well as the special guest, Tang Yu.

'The Truth' has recently divided its intense question segment into three parts. At the beginning of the show, to fully arouse the audience's emotions, the program's team would directly air live footage of the guests answering questions. However, this segment was very short. After answering a few questions, all the guests would leave the 'Truth Chair' to play games and promote the show. In the middle of the show, the guests would be selected to sit in the 'Truth Chair' using a punishment method to increase suspense for the audience. At the end of the show, the program team would once again bring all the guests back to the 'Truth Chair.'

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=1849307

This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

At the beginning of the show, the broadcast switched to the host's camera, and the host energetically read out the names of all the sponsors. Then, a segment of the iconic music played, and the host gestured, indicating that the program had officially entered the Q&A segment.

In the Q&A segment, the order of answering questions was determined by the guests' numbers. Each person had a ten-second countdown before answering. Gu Xizhi hadn't participated in this kind of variety show for a long time, and at the beginning, she felt a little nervous. Fortunately, she wasn't the first to answer.

The ticking countdown slowly came to an end, and at the moment when the countdown finished, the host began to ask questions in order, and the spotlight illuminated only She Jia.

"Miss She Jia, there have been rumors that the 'Black and White Feathers' production initially chose you as the female lead. Is that true?"

The microphone's sound echoed in the studio, and Gu Xizhi, like the others, looked at the monitor directly in front, waiting for the lie detector to indicate whether the answer was correct or not.

To make the audience believe more convincingly and at the same time have a clear understanding of the answer, the program not only publicly displayed the brainwave data but also provided separate monitors for some people that clearly showed right or wrong.

"No, at that time, Director Li was just considering."

After the answer, the monitor on the other side quickly displayed a green checkmark.

"Next, Miss Gu Xizhi."

The spotlight focused on Gu Xizhi, and she listened attentively.