TGBOG Chapter 22

Yue Si Literature Web Official Forum—Girls Channel—Gossip Chat Zone

[Rant] What’s up with these Yue Si writers recently? Have they gone mad selling CP?

0L: I can’t stand it anymore, I’ve unfollowed.

1L: Zhao Zhao and Twelve Ye? Who else?

2L: Reply to 1L: That whole circle, Tian Gai, Qin Hai, and even Shi Shui Fox.

3L: Reply to 2L: What did Fox do? I like Fox!

4L: Just because friends joke around, you call it selling CP? Seems like straight guys can’t joke anymore without being accused of selling CP.

5L: What’s going on? I checked Weibo, nothing unusual.

6L: Let me explain. First, Zhao Zhao and Twelve Ye were found to have matching items. Then Twelve Ye deleted and reposted a Weibo post. Later, Twelve Ye posted a photo of Zhao Zhao, and the CP fans went wild. Some fan commented on Twelve Ye’s Weibo saying the photo was taken from a boyfriend’s perspective, and Tian Gai liked it, boosting it to the top comment. Then Fox and Qin Hai also liked it. Honestly, I think Tian Gai and the others were just playing around.

7L: Zhao Zhao’s been doing a lot of PR lately. Did he sell his rights?

8L: Reply to 7L: Nah, wuxia isn’t in demand right now. Who would take that risk?

9L: I’ve been wanting to rant for a while. Instead of writing, they’re just constantly stirring things up. I noticed since Twelve Ye joined Yue Si, his standards have dropped. No new works, but he’s learned how to sell CP.

10L: Maybe they’re actually in love.

11L: Reply to 10L: True love means flirting publicly all the time?

12L: As a bystander, I’d say Twelve Ye and Zhao Zhao are definitely getting linked together more. Maybe Yue Si wants to turn Zhao Zhao into a pillar, probably negotiated with Twelve Ye. Didn’t you notice how Zhao Zhao’s “Zhuo Yi” shot to the top of the Gold List after Twelve Ye’s review?

13L: Reply to 12L: I think so too.

14L: Never heard of boosting someone through CP. Maybe they’re just really close.

15L: What’s Zhao Zhao’s background? Why push him? Pushing him is less valuable than pushing Shi Shui Fox.

16L: No background, I think. He rents his own place, and Y City isn’t exactly first-tier.

17L: I vaguely remember seeing a post somewhere claiming he’s rich.

18L: When “Shen Ling” first got popular, someone on the forum claimed to know him from the same neighborhood and said he’s rich. Something about his parents getting divorced and moving away after some event.

19L: Let’s not speculate too much about things without evidence.

20L: Reply to 18L: He indeed never mentions his parents on Weibo.

21L: That’s nuts. I don’t mention my parents online either. Not everyone talks about their real life on the internet.

22L: Taking forum gossip seriously… I agree with calling out CP selling, but let’s not start rumors about his personal life.

23L: Reply to 11L: As a CP fan, I just found some candy in that comment.

…

Zhao Yijia woke up feeling refreshed. The previous day’s flight had worn him out, and after chatting with Ye Luan, he had gone to bed early. Now, fully rested, he reached for his phone. As soon as he opened Weibo, he was shocked by hundreds of notifications. Thinking back, the last time he’d seen this many @s was when Ye Luan posted that long review. What’s it this time? Calmly, Zhao Yijia opened Weibo—

Zhao Zhao Zhaozhao: [Screenshot]

Zhao Zhao: @Tian Gai @Qin Hai @Shi Shui Fox @Twelve Ye, F4, come out and explain.

Zhao Yijia had posted a screenshot of Ye Luan’s Weibo, including the most liked comment, “Is this taken from a boyfriend’s perspective?”

Twelve Ye: I posted the Weibo.

Tian Gai: I liked the comment.

Shi Shui Fox: I saw Tian Gai liked it, so I liked it too.

Qin Hai: They all liked it, so I had to like it.

Zhao Yijia: …

Tian Gai: In my experience, after posting a Weibo like that, you and Twelve Ye will definitely get dragged on the forum for selling CP. But hey, a family sticks together. With the three of us liking it, our Meteor Garden group is back together.

Tian Gai: I’m a very team-spirited BOY.

Zhao Yijia: …

Seeing the word “team spirit” made Zhao Yijia chuckle, so he picked up the phone and called Ye Luan.

Zhao Yijia: Did something happen that I don’t know about?

Zhao Yijia had gone to bed early, unaware that Ye Luan’s CP move had even hit the trending list. But after spending so much time together, he knew something must have triggered Ye Luan to suddenly post his photo.

Ye Luan didn’t deny or confirm, but instead asked an unrelated question: “When you wrote ‘Xi Wu Kuang Sha’ and set the main character to like jasmine flowers, was there a reason?”

Zhao Yijia was puzzled. After thinking for a while, he replied, “You mean Fang Ying? Did I say he liked jasmine?”

Ye Luan: The second-to-last line of Chapter 32.

Zhao Yijia: …

Zhao Yijia: Uh… I probably just wrote it casually. I don’t really remember, maybe someone gave me a small jasmine plant, so I wrote it in.

Ye Luan felt very relieved. He knew the jasmine detail had nothing to do with Mo Li, but he wanted to hear Zhao Yijia deny it himself.

Ye Luan: I saw a post yesterday saying you and Mo Li had unresolved feelings.

Zhao Yijia couldn’t believe his ears. “What did you say?”

Ye Luan, completely serious, explained, “Someone took a picture of you two greeting each other after the press conference. The photographer said your eye contact had a story, that two of his book characters are based on you, and that Fang Ying liking jasmine was a nod to Mo Li.”

Zhao Yijia felt like he might faint.

Zhao Yijia: Mo Li likes you!

Ye Luan, clearly not expecting that response, paused before replying confidently, “But I only like you.”

Zhao Yijia: You sound like a child!

Ye Luan laughed, “Being with you makes me feel younger.” Then he added with mock seriousness, “But in bed, I’m still the grown-up.”

Zhao Yijia blushed and hung up.

After their call, Zhao Yijia went on Weibo to search for the post Ye Luan had mentioned. If he wasn’t the subject, he might have actually believed it. The content was so outlandish that it made him laugh as he read. When he scrolled down to the comments and saw the top one about “jasmine hinting at Mo Li,” he laughed so hard he nearly fell out of bed.

Clearly, Ye Luan couldn’t do much about this post, so he resorted to subtly correcting the record with his own Weibo posts.

Feeling a mix of sweetness and excitement, Zhao Yijia wondered if other people in love felt the same way—constantly wanting to talk to the other person, to do things for them. For so long, he had been on his own: independent, not relying on anyone, not getting too close. He thought it suited him. But now, he felt like a different person. He’d never experienced such a strong, clear emotional need: the desire for the other person to look at him, and the urge to respond.

He needed to do something to express this overflowing happiness.

An hour after their call, Ye Luan was in the middle of a meeting when his phone blew up with Weibo notifications, forcing him to pause.

This was a first.

He didn’t like multitasking but was too curious not to take a quick break to check. Stepping into a quiet corner, he opened Weibo—

Zhao Zhao Zhaozhao V: New novel teaser—Chasing White, main character Ye Yishan, a police officer. My first attempt at a crime novel, please look forward to it. [Image]

Forget about Zhao Yijia’s followers—this post even caught Ye Luan off guard.

The amount of information in Zhao Yijia’s post was overwhelming.

Everyone knew that “Yishan” meant “Luan”—Ye Luan had mentioned in an interview three years ago that he wanted to be a police officer when he was a kid. So Zhao Zhao’s new main character was obviously based on Twelve Ye! This was probably the first time anyone had seen a writer so openly use another writer as a character inspiration. How close must they be for this to happen?! Not just readers—Zhao Yijia’s post even got several Yue Si writers buzzing, with many reposting it and tagging Ye Luan.

Yun Fei V: Ye Yishan… a police officer… It’s definitely Ye Laoda, right?! @Twelve Ye

Meng Meng Dreaming of a Boat V: ??? I don’t understand you straight guys ???? @Tian Gai

A Cloak of Smoke V: Thanks for the inspiration.

Friday123 V: @LovesOrangesOMG! Look!

Tian Gai Tian Gai V: …Stimulating. @Twelve Ye

Shi Shui Fox V liked the post.

Qin Hai V liked the post.

…

Ye Luan suddenly didn’t know what to do.

He knew Zhao Yijia wasn’t just talking when he said he’d write a novel based on him, but he hadn’t expected him to “unwrap the gift” so soon. Naming the main character Ye Yishan was basically shouting to everyone: Look! The main character is based on Ye Luan! This was so direct, it was practically a public announcement.

This wasn’t like something Zhao Yijia would usually do.

But he did it anyway: straightforward and bold.

Ye Luan couldn’t help but smile as he reflected on whether he might be a bad influence on Zhao Yijia. He wanted to call, but Zhao Yijia beat him to it with a text:

Zhao Zhao: Now everyone knows my new novel’s main character is based on you.

Ye Luan quickly replied: And then?

Just as he sent the message, his phone lit up with a call from Zhao Yijia. He answered, hearing that bright, clear voice: “Are you ready?”

“For what?”

Zhao Yijia chuckled, “To see how I make everyone swoon over you.”