Chapter 58: Clarification

The time for applying ice was not short, but the entire dressing room seemed to have frozen still. Apart from Guan Xi’s complaints, there was no other sound.

After a while, Jiang Suizhou let go of his hand. At this moment, a knock on the door broke the almost stagnant atmosphere in the dressing room. Li Qian regained her senses and hurriedly went to open the door.

“May I ask who you’re looking for?”

The person outside smiled at Li Qian, gesturing towards the inside. “Mr. Jiang.”

Li Qian: “Ah… he’s inside, come in.”

“No need.” Zhou Hao stood in place, unmoving.

But his actions had already caught the attention of those inside. Jiang Suizhou glanced over, threw the ice wrapped up into the trash, and told Guan Xi, “I’ll wait for you outside. Bring your things and come out.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Suizhou got up and went outside. Guan Xi touched her cold face, put her things in the bag, and followed suit.

Only then did Li Qian and Qi Feifei dare to approach.

Li Qian: “Guan Xi, was that Jiang Suizhou just now? How did he come over? Are you two… are you…”

“You’re a couple, right!” Qi Feifei suppressed her excitement and said, “Oh my, why didn’t you say earlier? He treats you so well. So, those online rumors are false?!”

Wang Qing looked at the pale-faced Zhao Xiaorou and said, “Of course, it’s false. I don’t know who it is, taking a few photos and spreading rumors. Guan Xi and Mr. Jiang have been together for a long time, they’re already discussing marriage.”

Li Qian was shocked, “Really?!”

Wang Qing replied, “Yes, Jiang Suizhou said it himself. Guan Xi is his fiancée.”

“Oh my…” Li Qian said, “Although it’s surprising, you two really make a perfect couple when you look at it!”

Guan Xi’s emotions weren’t very high after the incident with the mineral water bottle, so she just smiled at the comment.

Qi Feifei and Li Qian were still unaware of the recent events outside and were so excited that they forgot to ask, “Why did you suddenly start applying a ice pack?” Qi Feifei added, “Hey, Guan Xi, please don’t mind what we said on stage earlier. We were just joking!”

“Yeah, yeah, if Jiang Suizhou finds out we said those things… it would be so awkward.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t take it seriously,” Guan Xi packed her things and stood up, “I have something to do, so I’ll leave now. Until next time.”

“Sure, take care!”

Her graceful figure in a formal dress disappeared at the doorway.

Qi Feifei, now relieved that Guan Xi had left, said with lingering fear, “Oh my, we were lucky we didn’t say anything more exaggerated during the gossip outside.”

Li Qian reassured her, “It’s okay, Guan Xi seems easygoing. She won’t mind our jokes.”

“That’s true…” After some thought, Qi Feifei said, “It seems those rumors are really fake. Look at Jiang Suizhou’s reaction; he didn’t respond, and he treats her so well.”

Li Qian agreed, “Definitely fake. When someone has Jiang Suizhou, why would they go after someone else? That’s just absurd.”

Zhao Xiaorou, who was sitting and overheard the conversation, felt like she had been slapped in the face. Although Guan Xi hadn’t said anything to her earlier, the look in her eyes when she entered the room made her feel a bit cold inside.

It was a look that said, “I know what’s going on, but I don’t bother arguing with you.”

“Hey, did you see Jiang Suizhou applying ice to Guan Xi just now? So showy!”

“Wait, why ice?”

“I don’t know, maybe her face was swollen?”

“Tsk, you didn’t even ask!”

“I was too panicked just now; I completely forgot!”

While Li Qian and Qi Feifei were excitedly discussing Jiang Suizhou and Guan Xi, Zhao Xiaorou’s expression became increasingly worse.

The online photos were taken by her. When she saw Guan Xi and You Hao being so intimate in the underground parking lot, especially when Guan Xi got into You Hao’s car, she took photos and videos, thinking that there was something fishy between them.

After that incident, she deliberately had people in the studio pay more attention to Guan Xi. Later, someone told her that they had a photo of Guan Xi getting into a stranger’s luxury car. Upon investigation, they found out that both of them went into the same residential area.

With this information, how could she keep it a secret?

Both she and Guan Xi were travel bloggers, but since Guan Xi appeared, many resources in the studio were taken away by her. Moreover, Guan Xi was gradually gaining more popularity than her. This shift in balance happened in such a short time, and she couldn’t tolerate it.

So, she had planned to spread the news today on this big occasion…

However, she genuinely didn’t expect that Guan Xi and Jiang Suizhou had a connection, and they were even… engaged?

Zhao Xiaorou couldn’t deny feeling panicked now. When she spread those messages earlier, she was fearless, but if this matter ended up involving Jiang Suizhou and the Guangyi Group—

If things went south, how could she withstand the consequences…

**

“How are things online?” Jiang Suizhou asked in the corridor.

Zhou Hao replied, “People have been instructed to delete them.”

“Do you know who did it?”

Jiang Suizhou’s tone was not good, and Zhou Hao could sense that his boss was not pleased. He quickly responded, “We’ve ordered an investigation; we should have results soon.”

“Hmm.”

“Also… Mr. Jiang, just now at the exhibition area, you were photographed together with Miss Guan by fans and journalists. Do you want us to have those pictures deleted?”

“Never mind,” said Jiang Suizhou, “let them go.”

Zhou Hao glanced at him and replied, “Okay.”

After a brief conversation, Guan Xi came out, and Jiang Suizhou didn’t mention the matter again, escorting her into the car.

Having worn thin high heels all night, Guan Xi’s feet were a bit tired. So, once in the car, she shifted her legs towards Jiang Suizhou and said, “Jiang Suizhou, help me take off my shoes.”

The driver and the assistant in the front seat kept their eyes straight ahead, not looking. Jiang Suizhou looked at her close-fitting dress, bent down, and undid the thin straps of her shoes.

Leaning casually against the seatback, Guan Xi asked, “You saw all those messy things, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t misunderstand the photo with my studio boss. How could I have anything with him? He has a girlfriend, and she…” Guan Xi paused, suddenly feeling it involved someone’s privacy, didn’t say more, and only added, “That photo was taken the day I had menstrual cramps. You remember, right?”

“I remember.”

“Good.” Guan Xi continued, “As for the other one, no need to mention. Isn’t that Wei Xiuyang? It’s really a stretch, riding a luxury car back to a luxurious house for a night together. We went to Lang Ningyi’s house, okay?”

After Jiang Suizhou took off her shoes, he handed her a blanket, covering her curves, and asked, “Do you know who took the photos?”

Guan Xi replied, “Although I’m not very sure yet, I probably know who it is. Someone who can take pictures under the studio’s parking lot is definitely not a stranger. You had a quite popular blogger before at YouTu, oh, still quite popular now. Her name is Zhao Xiaorou, you know her, right?”

Jiang Suizhou had an impression, “Is it her?”

Guan Xi said, “Just a guess. Because she thought I stole her program before, she didn’t like me at all. Every time she spoke, it was with a sharp edge.”

Jiang Suizhou nodded, signaling his assistant, Zhou Hao, who understood and began checking on his phone.

Traveling and exploring many fun things are Guan Xi’s interests. Turning her interests into a career naturally makes her happy. So, attending this travel festival today, sharing some of her small experiences during travels, also makes her feel good.

What could have been a delightful day for her took an unexpected turn. Someone dared to blatantly throw something on her face!

Thrown on her face… Can you believe it?!

Guan Xi became more and more furious in the bathroom, even removing her lipstick with force. When Jiang Suizhou entered, he saw Guan Xi staring angrily at the mirror. His gaze moved from her to the dress she had discarded on the floor.

Standing there in her underwear, with dense long curls cascading down her back, she revealed a slender waistline and an eye-catching small dimple.

“Where is that person now?” Guan Xi asked when she saw Jiang Suizhou come in.

Walking up behind her, Jiang Suizhou lifted her hair, revealing a snowy white complexion, and asked, “Who?”

Guan Xi put down the makeup cotton and turned to look at him, saying, “The one who threw a mineral water bottle at someone. You had them caught, right?”

“Taken to the police station.”

Guan Xi, still with a hint of anger in her eyes, said, “She’s lucky. If there weren’t so many people around, I couldn’t see who it was. I would have definitely thrown the bottle back at her face!”

Jiang Suizhou wiped off the remaining lipstick she hadn’t removed properly. “Still angry?”

“Yes!”

Jiang Suizhou embraced her waist. “Does your face still hurt?”

The concerned tone in Jiang Suizhou’s voice made her feel comfortable, and the anger even subsided a bit.

Guan Xi nodded, resting her chin on his chest and hugging him back. “A bit, but it’s not that painful if I don’t touch it… By the way, what about Zhou Hao? Did he contact Wang Qing?”

“Yeah, Wang Qing will handle the clarification announcement. You just rest well today, don’t worry about it.”

“That’s good. Delete all those messy rumors. If my grandparents see them, they might get really upset…”

“I know.”

Having expressed her thoughts, Guan Xi felt reassured. She didn’t say anything more, just comfortably leaned in Jiang Suizhou’s arms. Lately, she noticed that being held by Jiang Suizhou gave her an inexplicable sense of healing. Like now, swaying with him in her arms seemed to dissipate the anger she felt a moment ago.

Jiang Suizhou: “Not removing your makeup?”

Guan Xi, still bare and moving around in his arms, might inevitably provoke a reaction from him. He tightened his grip on her waist and asked in a deep voice, “What are you doing?”

Guan Xi’s hand went straight down from his lower back. “Nothing, I’m not upset now, so just quietly hug me. We can talk about removing makeup later.”

Jiang Suizhou: “Are you sure that’s just your intention for being hugged?”

Her hand got caught, and Guan Xi withdrew it. But she didn’t stop; instead, she moved to the front and undid his belt.

Jiang Suizhou’s breath deepened a bit.

While undoing his belt, Guan Xi tiptoed and kissed his lips. “Okay, actually, I have another intention. Jiang Suizhou, you look quite handsome today. I promised you a hundred kisses, and now we can start.”

Jiang Suizhou had a look of “Explain to me which part is handsome, or why only today and not before.”

Guan Xi smiled softly. “Well, you’re just handsome. I say you’re handsome, so you are. Why so many reasons?”

Her hand went all the way in.

Jiang Suizhou hesitated for a moment, but at this point, he couldn’t hold back anymore. He lowered his head and directly bit her lips.

Guan Xi, with fluctuating emotions today, became proactive and enthusiastic in his arms.

Alluring skills were employed.

Jiang Suizhou was practically unable to resist, ultimately lifting her up in his arms.

Guan Xi, holding onto him steadily, said, “Shall we take a shower together?”

Jiang Suizhou’s dark and intense eyes were fixed on her as he discarded his shirt and immediately led her into the shower room, saying, “Alright.”

** 

The fake materials defaming Guan Xi had just started to spread last night. While netizens were still in disbelief and shock over these rumors, a video clarifying almost simultaneously appeared online.

Most people may not know who Jiang Suizhou is, as he rarely appears in the media. However, when it comes to the Guangyi Group, he is widely recognized.

At the interactive exhibition area of the travel festival, where Guan Xi was hit with a mineral water bottle, Jiang Suizhou, the heir to the Guangyi Group, stepped forward, willingly exposing himself to the media to protect her. He openly declared her as his girlfriend, leaving everyone in awe.

This video circulated among netizens, sparking discussions not only about the relationship between Guan Xi and this wealthy heir but also delving into the looks of Jiang Suizhou. The combination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman involved in a wealthy family became a hot topic of conversation.

After the video went viral, on the second afternoon, someone captured a Weibo post from Impression Studio’s boss, You Hao:

【Indeed, I have a partner, and it’s a boy. As for those photos, it was just a coincidence that I passed by when Guan Xi wasn’t feeling well, so I gave her a ride home.】

After this clarification Weibo came out, discussions among netizens intensified:

【Who is trying to frame Guan Xi? This reversal is hilarious.】

【Is he gay?!!!】

【Boss You: I’m sorry, due to my sexual orientation, I’m not interested in Guan Xi.】

【This generation of netizens is easily swayed. I’ve said it before; our Xi Xi is not that kind of person.】

【How dare Zhao Xiaorou say Guan Xi stole her resources? Whoever has the superior resources controls the situation.】

【Who is this informed person… Well… Ms. Zhao, please come out and explain.】

【The one surnamed Jiang is indeed too handsome. Sigh, beautiful women and handsome men are the most eye-catching together.】

【Ah, so sweet! I don’t care; I’m treating this like a TV drama!】

【What about that wealthy second-generation with the luxury car?】

【Can’t people have friends? It’s strange; there’s nothing intimate in those photos. Don’t believe everything you hear.】

【She’s becoming the young lady of the Guangyi Group, and now a sea king too?】

【Curious about how Guan Xi and Jiang Suizhou met!】

【Wasn’t it said before that Guan Xi is a wealthy woman? It’s the circle of rich people, after all.】

…

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