Even though both of them were sleeping on the same bed, they didn’t speak a word, and there was a silent understanding between them.
Perhaps due to sheer exhaustion, under the turmoil of their thoughts, it didn’t take long for the sound of steady, light snoring to emerge from Gu Qingtong’s side. In this silent night, that gentle snoring fell on Yan Chi’s ears like a lullaby for a baby, gradually calming her heart.
Gu Qingtong had initially been sleeping with her back turned to Yan Chi, but it didn’t take long after falling asleep for her to instinctively turn around, following the warmth of Yan Chi, and nestle in her arms once again. Yan Chi, with awakened eyes in the dark of night, looked down at the small figure she was embracing, her hair a little tousled, reminiscent of that night when they had been drinking.
At that time, a drunken and drowsy Gu Qingtong was so exhausted that her eyelids were battling to stay open. Nevertheless, she kept mumbling as if she wanted to seek refuge in Yan Chi’s embrace to sleep, as if it had happened countless times before, as naturally as can be.
Back then, Yan Chi had thought that Gu Qingtong could only fall asleep when held by someone. She had even playfully bitten Gu Qingtong’s collarbone in jealousy, as a form of punishment.
However, later on, Yan Chi inquired with Gu Qingtong’s parents and discovered that she had never had the habit of needing to cuddle with someone or something to fall asleep. It seemed to be a unique reliance solely on herself.
Yan Chi never revealed this habit of Gu Qingtong’s, allowing it to become a secret known only to herself. In the tranquil night, Yan Chi relished in Gu Qingtong’s complete dependence, even as she drifted into her dreams.
Every time Gu Qingtong woke up in Yan Chi’s embrace, she thought it was herself that Yan Chi was holding. Gu Qingtong’s body felt even warmer than Yan Chi’s.
Yan Chi could feel a burning residue from the dreams just by holding Gu Qingtong, and it wasn’t tormenting but rather a soothing remedy that brought contentment to her body and mind. As Yan Chi gradually sank into sleep, Gu Qingtong began to dream once again.
In this dream, she found herself in her memories, and every time she looked up, it was Yan Chi she encountered within her dreams. Gu Qingtong was aware that she had entered another dream, but this time, the Yan Chi before her sent shivers down her spine. She even began to doubt her own judgment because the look in the woman’s eyes was different from the previous dreams, no longer icy but increasingly resembling the Yan Chi she knew.
“Tongtong,” she pronounced Gu Qingtong’s name, her voice tinged with earthly desires, endless pleas, and loneliness. “Can you….kiss me?”
As she spoke, Yan Chi’s gaze also held a fragile glimmer of expectation. Gu Qingtong remembered the time when she had said those same words to Yan Chi in a moment of passion, “I want to kiss you, can I?” Now, the tables had turned, and it was Yan Chi who had uttered the same request.
At that time, Gu Qingtong had only kissed Yan Chi’s forehead, but now, Yan Chi was requesting a full kiss. Both of them understood the significance of a kiss; it was a gesture meant for someone they cared deeply about. When Gu Qingtong had spoken those words before, it had been an impulsive, involuntary confession.
But now, in her current state of confusion, she finally realized her true feelings. Gu Qingtong’s heart skipped a beat, not just because of Yan Chi’s request but also because she had discovered her own desires. She…wanted to kiss Yan Chi, very much so.
For a moment, she seemed to forget that she was in a dream, and she gazed directly at Yan Chi, yearning to lean in for that kiss. However, the next second, the feeling of being restricted and controlled washed over her once again, making her body feel like it wasn’t her own. She had the right to feel but couldn’t make any physical movements or utter a sound.
After a prolonged silence, Gu Qingtong, just as she had involuntarily bitten Yan Chi’s shoulder before, was forced to speak. Her voice was particularly trembling and uncertain, laden with countless struggles. It was unfamiliar, unsettling, and carried the most evident rejection.
“I… I don’t like you,” she stammered, “The person I like… it’s not you. So, I can’t kiss you!”
Yan Chi’s hopeful gaze shattered instantly, and a hint of self-mockery crossed her eyes as she closed them. She said, “Even if you just try to appease me, that would be fine.”
Gu Qingtong, looking at the unfamiliar vulnerability and darkness in Yan Chi she had never seen before, felt her heart plummet, almost gasping for breath. She desperately wanted to speak, to tell Yan Chi that it wasn’t like this.
But she couldn’t do it, not even this simple act. She couldn’t control her own actions. She was filled with anger and sorrow, but she had no way to express it. She could only repeat in her heart, over and over: You’re lying! You clearly like her, why don’t you admit it?
As she shouted these thoughts, she suddenly fell silent.
It was because all her true feelings were surfacing during this self-deconstruction.
Yes, I clearly like her.
In my dream, I couldn’t say it, but what about reality? Do I want to continue being this weak?
…No.
I will gather my courage, regain control of this body, and return to Yan Chi’s side.
On this night, Gu Qingtong felt as if she was trapped in a muddy dream, continuously falling into the darkness until the break of dawn, when she finally returned to the world outside the dream.
Exhausted both physically and mentally, she then fell into a deep sleep.
❖❖❖❖❖
Late at night, the hot search #SilentGazeComesOut# was still trending at a high position. Although it didn’t mention Yan Chi or Gu Qingtong by name, the phrase “SilentGaze” had a high appearance rate during this time. Netizens knew about this CP, and the “coming out” aspect was quite sensational. Everyone couldn’t resist clicking to take a look, often ending up laughing.
Bai Jin glanced at the trending topic and let out a disdainful snort. ‘Aren’t they coming out? Then, might as well do it all at once today.’
Just then, a WeChat message popped up:
Gossip Entertainment: [Bai Jin, are you sure you want to release it today? We haven’t even checked and confirmed the videos and photos yet.]
Gossip Entertainment was a gossip and leak account developed by Bai Jin’s company. It was the team that had been persistently following Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi’s activities in the parking lot. It was because of Bai Jin’s earlier claim that Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong were in a romantic relationship that they had kept tracking Yan Chi’s movements. They had even gone to great lengths to infiltrate a parking lot in a building to capture this massive revelation.
“Are you planning to let Hua Yan’s PR team handle this in broad daylight instead of seizing the opportunity of the trending coming-out topic?” Bai Jin felt that the other party’s comment about not having confirmed the content was a subtle jab at her for her previous mishap, so she responded with a voice message.
The paparazzi on the other end of the WeChat conversation felt somewhat awkward. Usually, when they captured relationship exposés, it was to use the photos to pressure the celebrities and their companies into making settlements. However, Bai Jin seemed to have a particular focus on Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong. While they operated as paparazzi in public, in reality, they were just workers and had to follow the orders of the company owner’s daughter.
So, at four o’clock in the morning, Gossip Entertainment released a video clip with the caption: “Recently, Yan Chi princess-carried Gu Qingtong in an underground parking lot, suspected romance exposed. Is Silent Gaze really coming out now? No wonder Gu Qingtong, this little transparent artist, suddenly skyrocketed in resources recently. Turns out there’s someone big backing her. Tsk, tsk.” They also included the #SilentGazeComesOut# tag to ride the trend’s popularity.
In the video, even though the front view isn’t visible, it’s easy to recognize Yan Chi due to her tall stature, and she’s wearing the suspender outfit she had on during the livestream. In the first half of the video, there are clear side shots that show a woman snuggled in her arms with her fair and slender legs dangling down. Later, Yan Chi moves behind the car and is obscured from view, and the video ends there.
Despite the somewhat blurry video, the atmosphere surrounding these two beautiful women is quite enchanting and dreamy, far sweeter than many staged princess-carry scenes in idol dramas.
Previously, Gossip Entertainment’s social media account had only published fake gossip and shared articles from others, with virtually no followers. To garner attention, Bai Jin had hired some advanced bots and instructed them to steer public opinion in an unfavorable direction:
[Is this really love? With such a huge difference in social status and potential resource trading, it’s hard not to be suspicious….]
[I always had my doubts about how Gu Qingtong managed to win Love Variety. It turns out it’s because of this. I don’t need to say more about what’s really going on behind the entertainment industry, do I? Yan Chi’s facade of innocence has finally crumbled.]
[The comment above reminded me – what if it’s a sugar mommy arrangement? That would be much more interesting than a simple romance revelation!]
These advanced bots sang in harmony, occupying the top comments section, and they were set to make newcomers to the post start thinking along these lines as well.
In the deep hours of the night, not long after, this Weibo post made it to the hot recommendations under the trending topic. As soon as you clicked on #SilentGazeComesOut#, the first thing you saw was this Weibo post and the video.
After the release of this revealing video, the direction of the trending topic quickly changed. This wasn’t a joke like before; it was indeed coming out!
More and more netizens flooded into the comments section under the video. While Yan Chi had been under the scrutiny of paparazzi ever since her debut, this was the first time that concrete photos and videos had emerged. Moreover, it was an ambiguously affectionate princess-carry, not to mention the overall affectionate atmosphere between the two.
In the early hours, netizens who were still awake shared the news, urging others to come and watch. Whether or not they had watched “Love Game,” this was a top-tier same-sex celebrity relationship scoop. They had to enjoy it while the public relations teams of various parties were still trying to react!
[WTF WTF! I’ve only watched Teacher Yan’s movies and haven’t seen ‘Love Game’. Can a Silent Gaze fan explain to me if they are really together?]
[Newcomers, don’t worry, you might not have seen this kind of situation before. Let me clarify here that even us ‘Silent Gaze’ fans haven’t seen it!]
Is that so? They’ve been enduring the “super topic” until now, all gathered together, holding magnifying glasses to search for candies to eat1Looking for evidences that support their ships.. And then, when they finally come back to their senses, they suddenly find out that the CP they ship has become a reality?! The moment they rushed over to watch this video, their heads were buzzing. Happiness came so suddenly that it’s almost unbelievable.
But they all recognized that the outfit Yan Chi was wearing was the same one she had worn in today’s live broadcast, which means they were caught by the paparazzi shortly after shooting the CP magazine at Mousha. It’s astonishing…..how fast paparazzi work these days!
However, after their initial surprise, people gradually realized that this paparazzi leak was rather suspicious. Why did they insist on implying that Gu Qingtong’s success was solely because of Yan Chi? When they clicked on the comments section, they found a lot of objections to this malicious speculation, which was considered inappropriate.
Even if they were really together, it was just a normal relationship. Does that mean that they can freely make baseless rumors about lovers and sponsorship just because there is a significant difference in their statuses within the entertainment industry?
What if some casual bystanders come in and actually believe it? When this incident is combined with today’s trending topic, there is even a sense of conspiracy. Even the fans of Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong were hesitant to discuss this matter.
Gradually, some people started calling for restraint under the paparazzi leak:
[No matter if it’s true or not, let’s wait for the response from the show’s production team and the guests. This timing is too coincidental. We shouldn’t indulge in this invasion of privacy. Don’t let it be exploited by malicious individuals.]
Yan Chi’s fans, on the other hand, continued to stand by their stance:
[We won’t believe it until it’s officially confirmed! If Yan Chi herself announces it, then we’ll respect and congratulate her. These paparazzi who invade people’s privacy and spread rumors about sponsorships are truly disgusting. We should screenshot everything and send it to her studio. Let none of them get away with it.]
Yan Chi has been in the industry for fifteen years, and at the age of thirty, almost all of her fans consider her more than just an idol. They genuinely like, respect, and protect her as a person.
They not only do not reject the idea of Yan Chi having a partner but also hope that someone can accompany her. However, they clearly want Yan Chi to tell everyone when she’s ready, not through this kind of publicity stunt involving the invasion of her privacy by paparazzi.
Moreover, those advanced-level water army accounts that fabricate rumors out of thin air are even more excessive. As for Gu Qingtong, Yan Chi’s fans have been remarkably taciturn and haven’t expressed any opinions.
From the video, it’s clear that the relationship between these two isn’t something that outsiders can judge or change, so it’s better to wait. At the moment, both Yan Chi’s fans and Gu Qingtong’s fans have refrained from adding fuel to this leak. Everyone was waiting for the studio to release an official statement. It’s clearly too early for that right now since the public relations teams haven’t even started working.
But the power of gossip was still immense, attracting countless bystanders who were eager to watch. It not only pushed the coming-out trend back to the top spot but also generated several trending hashtags like #YanChiGuQingtongRomanceSuspectedExposure#, #SilentGazePrincessCarryVideo#, and others.
The late-night revelation was quite abrupt. By the time it was discovered on the side of Hua Yan, an hour had passed, and these topics had already taken over the trends. The public relations department quickly notified Yan Chi’s agent.
In the early morning, a series of urgent phone calls disturbed Yan Chi. She immediately hung up the call and looked at Gu Qingtong, who was starting to wake up. Yan Chi gently stroked her hair and said in a soft voice: “It’s okay, go back to sleep.”
Once she had settled Gu Qingtong, she opened WeChat and saw a message from her agent: [Your situation with Gu Qingtong seems to have been captured. There are internet water armies2practice involving the manipulation of online discussions, comments, and engagement on social media. implying a transaction involving resource sponsorship. The public relations team is asking me how to release a statement and lawyer’s letter.]
Perhaps thinking about Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong’s legal marriage, her agent added: [Do you need to deny your relationship with Gu Qingtong?]
For Hua Yan’s public relations team, it was not a significant issue at all.
Even if it weren’t for the sudden and unexpected late-night exposure from the other party, the moment it trended, it would have been removed. This video… wouldn’t have spread almost at all.
Yan Chi knew that it was the footage from the parking lot, the one they were captured in. She knew the other side wouldn’t remain silent, but she didn’t expect them to rush and release it in the early hours of that day. It seemed that their motives were not about money but rather a deliberate attempt to target either her or Gu Qingtong.
Yan Chi’s eyes had a hint of coldness as she typed a response: [First, find out who’s controlling the account that posted the leak. The responsibility for my and Gu Qingtong’s relationship lies with Mousha. Let’s have our public relations team reach out to them for a plan to take down the trending topic, handle the individuals spreading rumors with a lawyer’s letter, and then we’ll decide on a public statement.]
Upon seeing this message from Yan Chi, Song, her agent, raised an eyebrow. The implication was…they were prepared for a public announcement in the future?
Hua Yan’s efficiency was quite high. In less than half an hour, before 6:00 AM, apart from the initial coming-out trend, they had managed to remove all the miscellaneous, derived trends. Meanwhile, Song also identified the person behind the gossip.
Yan Chi’s gaze lingered on the words “Yue Xuan Entertainment, Bai Jin’s company,” and her expression grew even grimmer.
The netizens who had been following the story and had seen the trends disappear knew it was due to the intervention of either Yan Chi or Gu Qingtong’s management. However, it was strange that there was no official statement from them, and they seemed to be waiting for something.
This made netizens more convinced that the revelation was true. After all, if it were false, there wouldn’t be any reason to tolerate this video and the rumors. The studio’s silence left Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong’s fans anxious. They couldn’t bear the increasingly absurd rumors and went looking for evidence to refute the baseless claims.
At that moment, a diligent Gu Qingtong fan came forward and posted a Weibo with crucial evidence. She meticulously watched the video frame by frame and zoomed in on Gu Qingtong’s legs. Despite the low-quality footage in dim lighting, it was still possible to make out that Gu Qingtong wasn’t wearing shoes. However, even with an enlarged view, it was difficult to discern why her feet were bare.
“It’s quite evident that Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi were caught on camera during the CP cover photoshoot for Mousha, which happened yesterday. Does anyone remember that Gu Qingtong saved a fan while wearing high heels? I suspect that she might have injured her foot during that incident, which is why she wasn’t wearing shoes. If she couldn’t walk, could it be that Yan Chi was helping her to the parking lot? Doesn’t this explanation make sense?”
Only then did people realize that Gu Qingtong was barefoot. While this theory made some sense, many argued that besides the barefoot image, the rest of the explanation seemed speculative and didn’t amount to a clear clarification.
Gu Qingtong’s fan who had noticed her barefoot situation was quite frustrated. She wasn’t a well-known figure in the fandom, and she didn’t have any video evidence to refute the skeptics. However, her thoughts provided a starting point that allowed others to contribute evidence.
As this point was raised, people quickly began to provide more proof. It turns out that once it was mentioned, it was relatively easy to trace back the details. Some netizens scoured edited clips from live streams of the two and pointed out several instances where Gu Qingtong subtly adjusted her left foot without leaving a trace, and in the end, her long, straight calf even had some minor trembling, as if she were making a great effort to control something. They also noticed that her walk while leaving the stage appeared cautious and somewhat unnatural.
However, this video evidence was met with counter arguments, with some suggesting that [Gu Qingtong might simply have been uncomfortable wearing high heels, as such high heels can be tiring for anyone].
Just then, Bing Tang Xue Li, a popular fan artist for Yan Chi, posted a Weibo message: “I’m late to the party; I only found out about this today after waking up. I’m the Yan Chi fan who was saved by Gu Qingtong. When she saved me, she was wearing heels nearly 10 centimeters in height, and she rushed over from a distance. It was her support that prevented me and my camera from falling to the ground.
My friend is also a senior fan of Yan Chi, and she happened to capture that scene. After a careful comparison, we indeed noticed that Gu Qingtong’s foot nearly twisted, and it seems she might have been genuinely injured. I’ve compiled the video where she saved me and the segment showing her foot turning sideways in the video below.
In any case, Gu Qingtong is a genuinely kind-hearted girl. If she is really with Yan Chi, I will undoubtedly offer my best wishes. But if this is all due to an injury that’s been exploited for rumors, then those who invade people’s privacy with reckless gossip, claiming to be investigative journalists, and internet users who readily believe it are truly crossing the line.”
Gu Qingtong’s act of saving someone was a minor incident that didn’t cause much of a stir online. Most netizens were seeing it for the first time. In the blink of an eye, Gu Qingtong, wearing such high heels, rushed to help without a moment’s hesitation, forming a stark contrast with the slow and indifferent security personnel nearby.
Gu Qingtong, holding the young fan who nearly fell, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the fan was fine. She asked gently: “Are you okay?”
It was like a scene from a romantic drama. Even through the screen, one could feel the fan’s racing heart and rosy blush after the rescue. Her words of thanks came out in a stutter.
The following clip was intentionally edited to highlight the moment when the high heel nearly caused a twist. Even though Gu Qingtong managed to steady herself, a visible vein popped on her slender ankle, indicating a clear strain. This video became pivotal evidence, emphasizing how touching and instinctively kind-hearted Gu Qingtong was, making almost all the viewers who saw this clarification repost it.
Those who had been quick to judge and make baseless speculations felt a sense of shame for their unfounded suspicions……
They realized they shouldn’t have been so quick to jump to conclusions.
As everyone was actively sharing this clarification, the previously unresponsive studio and the team behind the photoshoot for a certain fashion brand finally took action together.
A behind-the-scenes video was posted on the official account of a certain fashion brand, featuring a scene where Gu Qingtong persevered through the shoot and eventually collapsed onto a couch.
“Due to a security oversight at our location, Qingtong indeed injured her foot when she arrived for the photoshoot due to her act of heroism in saving someone. However, she was dedicated to the shoot for the entire day’s live stream, choosing not to tell anyone about her injury. It was only when her discomfort became evident that she was discovered, and the situation led to the incident where she couldn’t walk and was later accompanied to the parking lot by Teacher Yan. Both Teacher Yan and Gu Qingtong are exemplary artists. Any issues during this event are entirely our fault, and we will enhance security personnel and underground parking management in the future. We hope this clarification can help them avoid unnecessary trouble and speculation.”
The studio initially shared the clarification from the fashion brand and then issued a legal letter, listing all the sources of the sponsorship rumors gathered by Yan Chi’s fans. Everyone soon realized that the studio had been actively working on this matter all along, and their intention was not fear but rather to hold accountable all those who had recklessly spread false information.
With this coordinated effort, the trending topics quickly shifted to #Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong Clarification#, #Yan Chi’s Studio Legal Letter#, #Gu Qingtong Rescuing a Falling Fan#, and so on…..
The various rumors that fermented throughout the night dissipated instantly, and Gu Qingtong’s act of bravery and dedication behind the scenes became widely acknowledged by the public.
[Wuwuwu, Gu Qingtong is truly a precious girl. She genuinely treasures every fan and values every work opportunity.]
[I just saw her being falsely accused, and I’m really upset. Initially, the resources for “Love Game” belonged to other celebrities. It was only when there was trouble that they turned to her for help. She clearly earned her way into the industry through her own hard work, and her outstanding performance is what made her stand out.]
[I’ll forever love hardworking, passionate, and slightly foolish people!!]
