Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself

Everyone tidied up their belongings and chose rooms in the small pavilion with varied thoughts.

It was clear that everyone was tired of the big shared house. Even if they weren’t satisfied with their "cohabitation partner," they were still quite happy while packing their things.

The garden pavilion next to Yu Xia’s place was previously occupied by Zhou Yu and Liu Yicheng, but now it was switched to Lan Hui and Qian Ling.

Soon, Lan Hui came looking for her.

Xie Qingci was cooking in the kitchen. Yu Xia was lying on her lounge chair, drinking tea, and she saw Lan Hui sneakily peeking in like a thief.

"Aren’t you supposed to be still unpacking? What do you want from me?"

Lan Hui dragged a low stool to sit down, sighed as if hesitant to speak, her face almost pleading Yu Xia to ask more so she could vent.

Yu Xia took two sips of tea before lazily asking, "Why? It’s quite odd, why did you write to Qian Ling to request living together?"

"Sigh—" Lan Hui began, "You don’t know how bitter it is living in that big shared house, watching you all enjoy modern life in small pavilions. Just yesterday when I removed my makeup, there was so much grime on my face!

I had to cast a wide net to get a spot in a small pavilion. But I did have principles, those in a confirmed relationship weren’t in my target. At first, I only wrote to Wang Xuchun and Liu Ji, but then I thought, there are other single women besides me, and I don’t have a distinctive advantage, so I might still fail. So, I wrote to Qian Ling too—he had a fallout with Ling Yan yesterday."

Who would’ve thought she’d succeed with Qian Ling?

"Now that you’re teamed up, aren’t you going to bond? Where’s Qian Ling?"

Lan Hui shrugged subtly and said indifferently, "After moving in, Qian Ling left, probably to find Ling Yan."

Yu Xia clicked her tongue mentally.

An endless entanglement, caring only for those aloof while ignoring the one before you—here comes the melodrama audiences love. Recent simplistic romantic dramas’ screenwriters should get out more and observe life’s diversity. Aren’t materials everywhere?

She patted Lan Hui’s hand, taking the chance to give it a squeeze: "Don’t be upset, after all, you just wanted to qualify for the small pavilion."

Lan Hui was quite puzzled: "I’m not upset, what’s there to be upset about?"

"If you’re unhappy, you can come to find..."

"Sister—" came a soft voice from behind them. Xie Qingci stood at the door, squinting at their interlocked hands.

Yu Xia withdrew her hand immediately, picked up her teacup, and sipped again.

"Well, Lan Hui, what I meant was that Qingci’s cooking is delicious, but he won’t cook for anyone else but me, so don’t hope for it."

Lan Hui: "..."

Xie Qingci’s gaze shifted, and Lan Hui quickly stood up and went along with it.

"Then never mind. I also need to continue cooking, the stove’s still on, so I’ll go back first, Yu Xia."

The live chat was buzzing.

[LOL, it’s like I’m watching a matrimonial melodrama.]

["Secret Affection with the Neighbor Caught by the Husband"]

[Hahaha, Yu Xia is unexpectedly hilarious, like a henpecked husband.]

[Xie Qingci looked every bit the handsome guy coming out, until Yu Xia and Lan Hui started their thing, and now he just looks like he needs an apron and a kitchen knife...]

[Xie Qingci: What are you doing? Ah! What are you hiding from me?! I’m working hard cooking for the family, and you think I’m an old hag, not as good as that apple-cheeked boy next door?!]

[Hahaha, stop acting! /laughing-slamming-head-on-ground.jpg]

[Marvelous, not only do Zhou Yu and Liu Yicheng have drama, but Qian Ling and Ling Yan too!]

[Zheng Jinjin’s impressive! Trying out Wang Xuchun this time.]

[When friendship exceeds but love is not formed, any breeze can blow them apart. Last time they were smug about being popular with each other’s letters, now they’re bickering and spitefully finding someone else, like love could blossom...]

[I swear, watching this show is infuriating because of Liu Yicheng, sweet-talking to Zhou Yu one second, then choosing somebody else’s girlfriend the next, with a "I had no choice" face, what a scumbag!]

[So won’t Yu Xia and Xie Qingci have conflicts like others?]

[Xie Qingci seems clingy, checking on Yu Xia every couple of minutes even when doing something else.]

In front of the camera.

Once Lan Hui left, Yu Xia was pulled into the kitchen by Xie Qingci.

"Watch me here."

"Do you take me for a supervisor? What’s there to watch?"

Xie Qingci turned off the stove, wiped his hands with kitchen towels, and said softly, "Then I won’t cook."

"..." She stared at him speechlessly, at a loss for words.

Xie Qingci really didn’t intend to continue cooking, acting all pitiful, then turned to meet her eyes.

Without smiling, Xie Qingci looked indifferent, and Yu Xia remained stubbornly strong; it seemed like the atmosphere had suddenly frozen, keeping the staff at bay from filming.

After a moment, Yu Xia walked to the stove herself and turned the heat back on. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Xie Qingci hugged her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.

Neither spoke immediately until Yu Xia was about to add salt to the dish, when Xie Qingci said, "I’ve already added some."

Yu Xia followed up, "What about the rest?"

"None yet. Add some soy sauce now."

Yu Xia reached for the soy sauce bottle, with him clinging and not letting go, she patted his hand around her waist: "Let go."

"I won’t."

She had to extend her arm to reach the bottle with him still clinging on.

Finishing up the dish in the pan, she scooped out half with a spatula, leaving the rest with some broth, planning to pour it into a deep dish.

The pot at home was lightweight, easy for a girl to lift with one hand. But the one provided by the show crew was heavier, making her struggle a bit when lifting it.

Her hand wavered downward, revealing her delicate wrist like it would snap, making Xie Qingci’s eyelid twitch, and he swiftly took the pot.

"I’ll do it."

Yu Xia stepped aside, giving him a look: "You should’ve been this considerate earlier."

Xie Qingci didn’t rebut, taking care of everything and setting the food on the table.

Just like an ordinary newlywed home, the previously terse silence was skipped over, landing feelings on the commonplace of three meals a day.

He had a large appetite, with food portions not small either. Watching him go for a second helping, Yu Xia holding a small bowl the show arranged said, "Lucky for you, you’re not prone to gaining weight, otherwise dieting would starve you."

His reply was like on the talent show before, "I’m still growing."

A twenty-one-year-old young man saying he’s still developing, there’s indeed that slight possibility. Yet, did he join the entertainment industry for development? Any frail and thin role would soon have him questioning life’s meaning on a diet.

And, he said it like she wasn’t still growing herself!

She rolled her eyes, took a piece of meat, but unexpectedly bit into a hidden chili, making her cough twice, turning her neck, ears, and face red instantly from the spiciness.