At that moment, all that ran through Ye Shanshan’s mind were the ingredient lists of those lipsticks and cosmetics. He reluctantly tilted his head and said, “Ge, I’m toxic right now, can’t kiss.”
Gong Yue understood his meaning and asked, “Don’t want to?”
“Wanted to—” Before he could finish his sentence, his lips were already sealed by Gong Yue’s. Gong Yue held him close, their lips brushing together as he whispered, “Be good, let me kiss you.”
This was quite a bold move, leaving Ye Shanshan unable to even utter a word of protest. If his Majesty said so, he couldn’t refuse.
So Ye Shanshan lifted his arm happily, wrapped it around Gong Yue’s neck, and slightly parted his lips to allow his tongue in.
Feeling his eagerness, Gong Yue kissed him deeper. In that moment, all the coldness and aloofness Ye Shanshan had shown on the stage melted away in the warmth they shared, breaking through the icy barriers.
However, the timing and place weren’t right, and they soon parted. Ye Shanshan hung onto Gong Yue and said, “Ge, can we sleep late tonight?”
Gong Yue kissed his hair. “Sure.”
Feeling a bit ticklish from Gong Yue’s affection, Ye Shanshan slipped out of his embrace and turned to the mirror, removing his contact lenses. As they chatted, he asked, “By the way, Ge, do you think I did really well today?” Though he asked with some nervousness, he tried to appear calm.
Standing behind him in the mirror’s reflection, Gong Yue met his gaze. “Hmm, very well. You amazed me.”
Gong Yue had arrived at the event a bit late. As soon as he sat down, he saw Ye Shanshan appear at the end of the stairs. In that instant, his heart skipped a beat. That was his Shanshan.
What Ye Shanshan most wanted to hear was Gong Yue’s praise. Looking at the person standing behind him in the mirror, he raised his chin proudly.
“Mr. Gong, I must say, you have great taste.”
“Yes, I agree with that.”
Meanwhile, back in China, underneath Xu Luoyang’s Weibo post, fans from the wee hours were waking up to this bombshell of an image. Some were seeking screenshots of Ye Shanshan’s part from the event, while others were tearing into the reality behind the scenes.
After half an hour, Ye Shanshan’s official fan club reposted Julia’s tweet screenshot, featuring two photos of Ye Shanshan and Julia together. One was a backstage selfie with Julia’s flowing blonde hair looking elegant, and beside her, Ye Shanshan gazed at the camera, still without makeup, features delicately sculpted.
Julia’s caption read, “So happy to meet you, my Ice Prince.”
Envious fans and idle spectators went to Twitter to verify and indeed found that Julia and her personal studio had posted this news, not fabricated by Ye Shanshan’s team or fans.
“Oh my God, it’s actually true! Can I say I had foresight not to roll up my sleeves? Anything’s possible with YSS, after all!”
“!!! My eyes are going blind! Once again, I feel I’ve fallen for an incredible person! But Ye Master, where’s the routine you promised? I think my heart can’t take it!”
Thus, the excited fans, awakened in the middle of the night by this news, flooded Ye Shanshan’s Weibo, unable to sleep despite the hour.
“Checking in! Boss, you’ve really held back a big piece of news!”
“Immortal card! The Ice Prince is really too adorable. When I saw him walk down the stairs, I was so mesmerized that I almost suffocated myself under his dress!”
“Panic card! I’ve become a fan of an idol who’s not at all faithful. What should I do? I just calculated my savings and realized they’re only enough to go to Austria for a piano concert and another trip to Fashion Week! Tightening my wallet!”
“Dizzy card! Can’t focus on dramas, just want to rave about Shanshan.”
“Heavenly card! My Boss is shoulder to shoulder with the sun and moon! After so many ups and downs, I’m calm. After all, every day brings surprises. #ProfessionalEthicsOfBeingAShineFan#. I’ve watched that clip over a hundred times and I’m dazzled! My screensavers, desktop backgrounds, and chat backgrounds are all taken care of!”
Perhaps it had been too long without news from their beloved idol. Even in the middle of the night, Ye Shanshan’s fans were showing remarkable enthusiasm, flooding the topic.
At this point, after the fashion show ended, Ye Shanshan had removed his makeup and was having dinner outside with Gong Yue.
Having barely eaten all day, Ye Shanshan was on the verge of tears from hunger. He hurriedly swallowed a plate of vegetable salad, with Gong Yue beside him, feeding him water, worried he might choke.
Finally having filled his stomach a bit, Ye Shanshan felt the world brighten up. His attention turned to the lamb chops when Julia’s call came in.
“Teacher?” Ye Shanshan wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“Shanshan,” Julia’s tone was uneasy. She took a deep breath before continuing, “When I was personally arranging the outfit you wore at the beginning, I found that the soft-soled shoes had been tampered with. There were three small nails placed in the midsole layer.”
Initially, Julia had intended for Ye Shanshan to wear those soft-soled shoes, but just before the show started, she changed her mind and had him switch to another pair of backup hard-soled shoes.
If he hadn’t switched shoes, Julia couldn’t bear to think what might have happened.
If Ye Shanshan had worn those soft-soled shoes, the small nails would have pierced through the sole before he even reached the stairs, likely stabbing into his feet. To avoid ruining the opening himself, Ye Shanshan would have had to walk the runway step by step with those nails underfoot.
Injuries to the soles of his feet would require at least a month of rest before he could walk again. If the injury had hit a dangerous spot, it would take even longer.
The person who did this had a malicious intent.
Thinking about this, Julia’s breath quickened. Despite her inner anger, she controlled her tone, “Shanshan, I will investigate this thoroughly and get you a substitute.”
After hanging up, Ye Shanshan suddenly remembered what he had heard on the stairs earlier. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to message Julia.
He couldn’t be sure based on just a few words that the person was responsible, but it was a clue, and he trusted his teacher.
“Shanshan, what happened?” Gong Yue placed a plate of lamb chops in front of him. “Is it about the show?”
Ye Shanshan nodded, looking relaxed. “Yeah, there was a small issue, but I can handle it.” He offered a small piece of lamb chop to Gong Yue’s mouth. “Ah—”
Two hours later, the Sun Daily, known for exposing celebrities’ private lives and scandals without hesitation, directly pushed out a headline: “AG Heiress Makes Debut, Steals Show.”
The accompanying photo was obviously a candid shot. Ye Shanshan was shirtless from the waist up, his fair skin dazzling, while Julia was looking down, their faces very close and intimate. Ye Shanshan even had a smile on his face.
As a protected figure on par with Gong Yue, the PR department of the Gong family intercepted this news as soon as it was discovered and promptly deleted it from the entire web. However, some screenshots still made their way into China, causing a stir.
“Ye Shanshan’s sugar daddy relationship finally exposed! However, climbing up to AG’s heiress is quite impressive! Those who previously vowed to defend their idol’s innocence, will they dare to speak up now? Foreign newspapers have already confirmed that Ye Shanshan, a second or third-tier star, was able to open the show because of this undisclosed relationship. This also explains why Hess Master was hired, especially since Julia was once a violin queen in the classical music circle.”
“I checked overseas, and this news has been censored. So, is this news true? Julia is already forty, can’t this young actor surnamed Ye keep his mouth shut?”
“Looking at the photos really hurts my eyes! From now on, Ye Shanshan can roll out of the entertainment circle, landing himself in the bed of an old foreign woman is truly disgusting!”
While there was relative calm overseas, the domestic buzz continued to escalate. More and more people began to believe in this matter. Julia, who received a call from Ye Shanshan, acted swiftly. Twenty minutes later, she posted a new tweet:
“In response to the Sun Daily’s false report, my lawyer has filed a lawsuit in court. Also, the relationship between me and Ye Shanshan, as claimed by the Sun Daily, is not one of financial support; I am simply his family tutor.”
Below the text, she directly posted the official employment contract from back then. The terms were clear, with both Ye Shanshan’s and Julia’s signatures visible, though the signature of Ye Shanshan’s guardian was discreetly omitted.
When the entire translated screenshot of the tweet was circulated back to China, those who had been clamoring “disgusting sugar daddy relationship” and “YSS should get out of the entertainment circle” began to quiet down.
As the crowd continued to watch the ups and downs of this drama, some were left puzzled.
But soon, someone raised a question:
“Not a fan, not a hater, just quietly staying up late to watch this rollercoaster show. Out of curiosity, what background does Ye Shanshan have to be able to hire AG’s heiress as a family tutor to teach violin? Also, with Hess Master and Professor Buren already revealed, in the current situation, are they both… Ye Shanshan’s tutors?”
Meanwhile, Julia kept a close eye on Dana Green, raising an eyebrow. “Did you sell this news?”
Author’s note:
—————————–
[Previous plot summary] Green: When Shanshan went to the bathroom and passed by a secluded area, I overheard this person arguing with another, saying they wouldn’t let Shanshan come out and block the way.
Xiang Junyang: The male lead of the first advertisement in the deer advertising series said at the auction that the item was too expensive for Shanshan to afford. Later, he was preparing to build a good relationship with Shanshan, the first-line male actor.
1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️”
