Guan Zixuan shook his head and wagged his finger from side to side.
âNo!â He smiled mysteriously and said, âNeither is what she said. The truth is, she knew she was in the wrong bathroom the moment she saw me, but she couldnât just go back outside due to some reason?out of her control.â
âWhich is?â asked someone almost instantly.
âWell,â Guan Zixuan dragged the answer out, âThe reason is simple. It was her period. She got her trousers stained and charged into the wrong bathroom in her haste. However, she didnât want to leave the bathroom again until she cleaned herself up.â
Leng Xiyao burst into laughter at his account.
Guan Zixuan was using the story of how he had met Suqing! When Suqing found out that he brazenly spoke of her embarrassing experience in front of the public, she would definitely kill him.
Guan Zixuanâs expression made a subtle change. He looked at Leng Xiyao and asked, âMiss, what is it that is so funny?â
Leng Xiyao quickly shut her mouth up. She shouldnât have acted so.
âNo, nothing,â she replied, âI just find it very hilarious. It was already not her day when she didnât prepare for her period, but to go into the wrong bathroom on top of that? Talk about bad luck!â
âIndeed!â chuckled Guan Zixuan, not inappropriately. âHowever, she was actually quite lucky in the end, because she met me!â
âHow is that?â asked Liu Siran.
Guan Zixuan smiled without answering the question immediately. His smile was so sweet that it was intoxicating.
After a while, he finally said, âShe was lucky because I went out of my way to buy some sanitary pads for her! This is who I am. I just canât walk away when someone is in need. Seeing that she was so helpless made my heart fill with pity, so when she asked me if I could get some sanitary pads for her, I said yes without hesitation. After all, giveing each other a hand is one of our greatest traditions as the Chinese people.â
âWowâ¦â exclaimed the crowd.
âGuan Zixuan is so cool!â
âWhat a gentleman he isâ¦â
Bai Tingnan frowned. Is this really what happened?
Puzzled, she asked, âAnd then what happened?â
Guan Zixuan sneered inwardly. By her insistent questioning, he was sure she knew something.
But outwardly, he just smiled an innocent smile and replied, âAnd then, I lent her my jacket to cover the stain and left the bathroom.â
Now it was Leng Xiyaoâs turn. She asked the following question on purpose, âSo according to your story, itâs true sheâs not your girlfriend. But what I donât understand is,?how?can?anyone take a picture?secretly?in such a private place?â
Guan Zixuanâs smile broadened into a beam. He said, âWell, how about you tell me that? After all, gossip columnists nowadays are so determined to get saucy stories that there is virtually nothing they canât do! Besides, it is old news that scandals can always find celebritiesâ¦â
Then, he chuckled a little and joked, âI will have to be extra careful when I go to the bathroom from now on!â
Guan Zixuan thus concluded the conference with a pregnant statement.
Leng Xiyao was forced to admit that although Guan Zixuanâs was also a cheap trick, he surely knew how to play it skillfully.
It was killing two birds with one stone on his part. Not only did he make people believe that he was not related to the woman in any way, but he also successfully expressed what a kind gentleman he was and gained more popularity.
As someone who also worked in the entertainment industry, Leng Xiyao sincerely admired his strategy.
No wonder he could take off in the first place and became famous. It wasnât simply because he got a brilliant PR team. He himself was not bad, either.
After the conference, Leng Xiyao and the others left the hotel.
Except Bai Tingnan, who was always a lone wolf and not well-liked. She was the last one to go.
She still didnât understand it. Could it really be that Mo Suqing took the picture in secret while she hid in the menâs room in ambush?
If that was the case, it definitely said a lot about her.
Bai Tingnan was about to enter the elevator when a young man blocked her path. She gave him a bewildered look and demanded, âWhat do you want?â
Yuan smiled and explained, âHi, you can call me Yuan. I am Mr. Guanâs personal assistant. He would like to talk to you.â
Bai Tingnan thought, Mr. Guan? I suppose he means Guan Zixuan? Why does he want to talk to me?
Bai Tingnanâs face brightened. As one of his fans, she had always admired Guan Zixuan.
She would never have dreamed of Guan Zixuan wanting to see her in private! No matter why he was doing this, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she could never say no to.
She nodded, barely containing her happiness. âOkay! Iâll go with you!â
Yuan brought Bai Tingnan to a lounge and said, âMr. Guan is in there. Please go inside. Iâll wait here.â
Bai Tingnan nodded and opened the door expectantly.
She was struck dumb the moment she set foot inside the lounge, which was in a complete darkness. Not afar, there seemed to be a darker shadow.
The creepy atmosphere lasted for about a minute.
Bai Tingnan was a little scared and considered to turn around and leave, but thinking of meeting and talking with Guan Zixuan, she decided against it.
She found her voice and asked hesitantly, âAre you Guan Zixuan?â
The figure in the dark answered softly, âUh-huh.â
The voice was husky and sexy, just like Guan Zixuanâs. Bai Tingnan gave out a sigh of relief.
âYour assistant Yuan said you would like to see me.â
Guan Zixuan chuckled softly, still in the dark. When he spoke again, his voice seemed to acquire some magic power, âYou werenât the one who took the pictures yesterday, right?â
Bai Tingnan was astounded.?Did he find out?
She racked her brain and, after a while, replied hastily, âI received an anonymous message that contained the picture.?Thatâs?all I know!â
The way Bai Tingnan blurted out her words made Guan Zixuan frown.
He didnât believe a word of hers, but she said with such a seeming conviction, he didnât know how to continue his questioning.
After a while, he prodded, âAre you sure?â
Bai Tingnan saw that Guan Zixuan, standing up from a sofa, started to walk towards
her. There was a tremor in her voice, âY-yes!â
When Guan Zixuan was right in front of her, she didnât feel like herself anymore. Her heart was pounding so loudly!
Guan Zixuan sneered inwardly. With such an easily lost composure, how dared she lie to me!
Guan Zixuan stepped closer and closer. Bai Tingnan could not help but go backwards. In the end, she reached the wall and there was nowhere else she could go.
Guan Zixuan leaned in, the warmth of his breath on Bai Tingnanâs face. Her heart pounded even harder; she was both scared and expectant.
Guan Zixuanâs voice was ever husky and sexy when he asked again, âAre you sure you are telling the truth?â
In her mindâs eye, Bai Tingnan saw herself stealing the picture from Mo Suqingâs cell phone yesterday afternoon. She gathered up her determination once again. She could not let anyone know about it.
âI-Iâm sure!â she stammered out an answer.
Guan Zixuan pulled himself away from her. Bai Tingnan could breathe again.
He suddenly lost his interest. This woman was plain hypocritical. So boring and unattractive!
âGo!â commanded Guan Zixuan, his voice cold and steely all of a sudden.
âWhat?â Bai Tingnan was totally stunned. He was just being sweet and charming! How did he change into another person in a matter of seconds?
âWhat? You donât understand English? I said go!â
Shamed, Bai Tingnan ran out of the door.
By Bai Tingnanâs grieved expression, Yuan knew that his boss had once again mistreated another young woman.
When he opened the door, Guan Zixuan had turned the light on.
âBoss, are we still going to find out about that woman from yesterday?â
âForget about it!â said Guan Zixuan, waving his hand dismissively. âDonât bother. You can go now. Iâm going to take a rest.â
Guan Zixuan rubbed his forehead, feeling sore and hurt around the temple.
â¦â¦
As soon as Leng Xiyao went back to the office, Mo Suqing demanded to know what had happened at the conference.
The two of them went to have lunch together.
Leng Xiyao did not even start talking when she burst out laughing uncontrollably.
âWhat is it? Talk to me!â Mo Suqing became even more anxious.
However, every time Leng Xiyao looked at Mo Suqing in the eye, a new round of laughter ensued. Her shoulders shook violently; she almost burst into tears.
âHahaha⦠Suqing, when Guan Zixuan talked about the woman he was with yesterday, he was actually talking about you! He used you to clear up his scandal, saying that he bought some sanitary pads for the woman, etc. You have no idea! He told the story with such a conviction! I could not help but laugh out loud then and there.â
âWhatâ¦â Mo Suqing was completely shocked.
He told everyone her embarrassing experience⦠What a petty man! As a famous actor, how could he give such an account in public? He was over the top, that man was!
Seeing Mo Suqing cover her face with one hand, not knowing what to say, Leng Xiyaoâs laughter became more hearty.
Mo Suqing facepalmed, wishing she was not Leng Xiyaoâs friend right then.
They laughed and joked like this for the rest of lunchtime and Mo Suqing gradually relaxed. Anyway, Guan Zixuan should be satisfied now and stop looking for her. Besides, she didnât even publish the picture. That was the bottom line.
After lunch, Mo Suqing and Leng Xiyao went back to the company.
They had barely sat down when An Huilin walked into the office.
She gave Leng Xiyao a haughty look. Even Mo Suqing could feel her hostility?even though the look was not directed to her.
After An Huilin returned to her office, Mo Suqing turned to Leng Xiyao and said, âRecently, I always have the feeling that you have somehow provoked her anger. Otherwise, why does she keep treating you like this? Even I can feel it. And the look she gives you!â
âWho knows why?â said Leng Xiyao carelessly. âI guess sheâs about to lose her mind because she is still an old maid and no one wants to sleep with her. She wants to vent her discontent on someone and I just happen to be her target. Thatâs all.â
Leng Xiyao chuckled derisively.
Mo Suqing didnât know how to respond. Of course, she knew Leng Xiyao was just kidding.
However, she still couldnât figure out the real reason why An Huilin would treat Leng Xiyao like that.