【Jia Jian Cheng Chu CP fans, wake up, your house has collapsed!】
【??? Are there really CP fans?】
【I thought everyone was just shipping them for fun. Does this pair actually have real CP fans?】
【I am one! I’m a real CP fan! What’s up, OP? Don’t leave us hanging! What collapsed! How did it collapse? My house is still under construction…】
【LMAO, the foundation wasn’t even laid and it already collapsed.】
【Money, link, OP.】
【Link added to the main post. To put it simply, some paparazzi in Yunzhou City’s bar district snapped a photo of Jian You and a woman holding hands as they came out of a lesbian bar. The woman was wearing a mask and a hat, so you can’t tell who she is. Later, the two of them got into Jian You’s Audi and drove to a residential complex. Jian You still hasn’t come out.】
【Jian You, I never thought you were this kind of person.】
【Sending Yun Chu to work in the morning, then spending a wonderful night with another woman. You’re living the life, huh?】
【Wait, that woman’s jacket looks really familiar.】
【Is it one Jian You has worn?】
【I think I’ve seen Jian You wear it. Is it the same style or the exact same one?】
【No, no, I think I saw it not too long ago.】
【Fuck! It’s the one Yun Chu was wearing this morning!】
【!!! My house has been rebuilt into a villa on top of the ruins!】
【So the fully-geared-up woman is Yun Chu??? Holy shit… I’m shipping a real couple. When is Little Tricks for Love airing? I really want to see how they got together.】
【Posting a clarification. Jian You went to the bar today to meet a producer. The producer posted on Weibo tonight. She probably ran into Yun Chu after her meeting and gave her a ride. After all, our Director Jian is beautiful and kind-hearted.】
【Uh, just a chance encounter? That’s too much of a coincidence. Was Yun Chu doing it on purpose…】
【Her intention to hype the CP is a bit too obvious.】
【Director Jian is wild, meeting a producer at a lesbian bar?】
【Then why hasn’t she come out after being dropped off at home? Are they doing it? [drooling] If Jian You and Yun Chu don’t come out to debunk this, I’ll assume they’re doing it, ha [drooling].】
…
Doing it… my ass!
Yun Chu was already numb by the time Zhou Zhitao walked out of the bedroom barefoot in a nightdress. She leaned against the shoe cabinet, let out a couple of dry laughs, and said, “Let me introduce you. This is my best friend, Zhou Zhitao.”
Zhou Zhitao said, “Wow.”
Yun Chu continued her wooden introduction, “Taozi, this is Jian You. I’m sure you know who she is.”
Zhou Zhitao said, “I’ve long admired you, Director Jian. Hello, hello.”
Jian You replied, “Hello.”
She took a step back and said, “Since you have company, I’ll be going.”
“Wait!” Yun Chu said quickly.
“Hm?” Jian You responded.
Yun Chu’s lips moved. She wanted to explain but felt she had no right to. Besides, Jian You didn’t seem to care much, which made it even harder to know what to say. After hesitating for a long time, she blurted out, “Since you’re already here, why not stay for a bit?”
Zhou Zhitao, still standing in the living room: “…”
So clumsy with her words. It served Yun Chu right for having a crush for so long!
Jian You stood where the light didn’t reach, her expression hidden in the dimness. After a moment, she closed the door. “Alright.”
Zhou Zhitao: “??”
Jian You actually agreed?!
Yun Chu breathed a sigh of relief.
Feeling lightheaded, she led Jian You inside. Zhou Zhitao tactfully poured them each a glass of water and said, “You two chat. I’m going to bed. I just got back from abroad and I’m still jet-lagged.”
Jian You said, “Thank you.”
Zhou Zhitao waved her hand. “Don’t mention it, don’t mention it.”
It would have been nice if she’d smiled when she said thank you. Saying it with such a deadpan expression felt so insincere! She shot Yun Chu a look and quickly returned to the guest bedroom.
Then she turned around, pressed her ear to the doorframe, and commenced her eavesdropping plan.
“Teacher Jian…”
Beautiful! Yun Chu spoke first! Taking the initiative! Lose control upstairs tonight!
“Yes.”
Jian You’s voice was so nice to listen to—cool and detached, yet commanding. A great director indeed, the kind who commanded everything on set!
“I…”
Say it! Bravely confess your love!
“The water at my place is good, isn’t it?”
“…………”
Zhou Zhitao was speechless in sync with Jian You. She then rolled her eyes to the heavens. What time was it to be asking if the water tasted good? Wait! Could this sentence have a hidden meaning?
Zhou Zhitao’s spirits lifted again.
“Yes, it’s quite good.”
“Then I’ll pour you another glass!”
“…”
Alright, there was no risqué hidden meaning. They were simply discussing whether plain water tasted good!
“…No, thank you.” Jian You refused Yun Chu’s offer. She glanced around and asked, “Where is your room? Go get changed.”
“It’s upstairs.”
“Then I’ll wait for you here.”
Yun Chu didn’t say anything.
This made Zhou Zhitao even more curious. She opened the door a crack to peek outside. Her bedroom had a great view. The living room was brightly lit, and she could see Jian You lean forward slightly and ask Yun Chu, “What’s wrong?”
“I’ll fall if I try to go up the stairs drunk…” Yun Chu looked over, her eyes welling up. Hot tears streamed down her face, making her look like a homeless, tear-streaked little kitten. Afraid that her crying would annoy the other person, she hastily wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and sobbed, “You take me… take me upstairs.”
Jian You watched her without a word. Her long fingers twitched before she placed them on the side of Yun Chu’s face, wiping away her tears. “…Don’t cry.”
In the end, she went upstairs with Yun Chu.
Zhou Zhitao and Yun Chu had grown up together, so they had naturally had plenty of drinks together—for graduation, for goodbyes, for her own heartbreaks, and for Yun Chu’s secret crush. Thus, Zhou Zhitao was very familiar with Yun Chu’s drunken routine.
First, she’d seem fine, just like a normal person. Then, she’d become talkative. After that, she’d quiet down and start crying silently. Finally, she’d calm down completely, silently take a bath, brush her teeth, change into her pajamas, and be completely sober after a night’s sleep.
Wait!
It suddenly dawned on Zhou Zhitao. Doesn’t that mean Yun Chu is going to get undressed in front of Jian You?!
Upstairs.
Jian You didn’t react when Yun Chu took off her jacket. She just said, “I’ll go get your pajamas,” and walked into Yun Chu’s walk-in closet. Compared to other female celebrities, Yun Chu’s closet was utterly simple. Most of the space was empty. The shelves meant for handbags were filled with BJD dolls, their large eyes smiling brightly.
Like miniature versions of Yun Chu.
There were only two sets of pajamas to change into, the same style in different colors. It looked as if she couldn’t be bothered to pick a style and just chose one she liked to wear on rotation. The style was indeed nice, with a V-neck that dipped to just the right spot, sparking the imagination—an allure that was pure to the extreme.
Jian You chose the dark red one and casually grabbed a pair of underwear. She turned around. “You go wash up first—”
Her voice stopped abruptly.
Yun Chu was standing before her, her skin glowing white. Her short hair, not quite reaching her shoulders, was slightly messy from the hat, making her head look even rounder. As if unable to control it, Jian You’s gaze swept quickly from top to bottom.
Jian You’s throat went dry. Yun Chu’s ankles, she thought, were long and slender. They looked perfect for grasping.
For pulling closer.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then walked over and shoved the pajamas into Yun Chu’s arms. It managed to cover some of the view, but it only made her seem more alluring. Suppressing the fire within her, she enunciated each word, “Go. Take. A. Bath.”
Yun Chu gave a dazed “oh.”
The bathroom door closed, and the sound of running water trickled out. Jian You pinched the bridge of her nose. On her phone, Xiao Liu had sent several messages asking where she was. He said she’d been photographed by paparazzi in the bar district, and now there were articles circulating about Jian You spending a wonderful night with a beautiful woman, mixed with a few posts from netizens analyzing that the woman was Yun Chu.
Jian You replied: At Yun Chu’s place.
Xiao Liu: You’re really there!
Jian You: .
Jian You: Is that a problem?
Xiao Liu: So you were jealous after all.
Jian You: .
Xiao Liu: I get it, I get it all now.
Jian You: Get what?
Xiao Liu: Yun Chu went to the bar tonight, right? With that President Jiang? So you got anxious, you got jealous, you arranged to meet a producer in the bar district, and then you took the drunk Yun Chu away!
Xiao Liu: Is my analysis correct?
Jian You: I get it now too.
Xiao Liu: What do you get?
Xiao Liu: [TellMe.jpg]
Jian You: You’ve found your next employer.
Xiao Liu: ???
Xiao Liu: I haven’t! I’m completely loyal to you and plan to work under you until I retire, Director Jian!
Jian You: You’d better be.
Xiao Liu: But what should we do about these articles?
Jian You had never been involved in any scandals since entering the industry. They didn’t manage any artists, and her films always received more praise than criticism. The publicity team they used was reliable, but they had never hired anyone for crisis management. They had no experience!
Jian You: Ignore it.
Jian You: There’s probably someone pushing this from behind.
Xiao Liu: Who? Who’s trying to harm you! [angry]
Jian You: I’m guessing it’s the Little Tricks for Love team.
Just as Yun Chu had guessed, she was the main CP in Jian You’s script, which meant they were the official pairing on the reality show. The production team would definitely promote the CP. Now that this free candy had fallen into their laps, they would certainly take it. It could generate buzz and solidify the CP fanbase—why wouldn’t they?
Jian You: Don’t worry about it.
Xiao Liu: Are you still flying to Bei City tomorrow?
Jian You: …Yes.
Jian You: I’m heading home now.
Xiao Liu: Ah, you’re still going home?
Jian You: You’ve also lost next month’s bonus.
Xiao Liu: !
System: Your message was sent, but the recipient has blocked you.
Xiao Liu: Fine.
Xiao Liu: I ship it so hard, I ship it so hard.
Jian You: ?
Xiao Liu: !! Why did you add me back?
Jian You: You’ve also lost the bonus for the month after next.
Xiao Liu: T-T
Jian You logged onto the forum and browsed for a bit. The photos were watermarked and looked very much like a couple’s relationship being exposed. She had a headache. Being photographed in the morning and again at night practically confirmed their romance.
The sound of water from the bathroom grew quieter.
Before long, Yun Chu walked out. She had clearly washed in a hurry. Her short hair wasn’t tied up and had gotten wet, clinging damply to her scalp.
She was wearing the dark red nightgown Jian You had picked for her.
As expected, it complemented her skin tone perfectly.
As if she didn’t see Jian You, she walked straight to the bed, flopped down, pulled the covers over herself, curled up, and closed her eyes.
Jian You: “…”
She called out to Yun Chu, “You need to dry your hair. You’ll wake up with a headache tomorrow if you sleep like this.”
Yun Chu was fast asleep.
Jian You: “…”
She suspected she must have owed Yun Chu a debt from a past life.
After standing there for a moment, she walked resignedly to the bathroom, got a dry towel, and helped Yun Chu sit up, leaning her against the headboard to dry her hair. It was a good thing Yun Chu was dead to the world when she slept, obediently leaning there and letting her do it.
The towel covered her entire face. When Jian You lifted it, her eyes fell upon slightly parted lips.
The bead of her upper lip was rosy red.
Like it had been dipped in jam, alluringly sweet.
Jian You stared at her lips, the movements of her hands slowing. The towel slipped from her fingers. She slowly leaned closer, and closer still. She could feel Yun Chu’s breath on her face.
It was warm, making her own face burn.
A faint sound came from somewhere, and she snapped back to her senses. Just as she was about to pull away, Yun Chu fell straight onto her shoulder and tilted her head up slightly.
And kissed the side of her face.
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