Chapter 53: Zhuozhuo, You’ve Returned!

She looked at Pei Jin in utter disbelief.

For the first time, she saw a dark side to this actor, usually so luminous and flawless.

Perhaps he really didn’t care.

After all, with such a powerful background, whether or not he thrived in the entertainment industry made little difference to his life.

In her eyes, as a “relationship observer,” it was perfectly normal for Xu Yunzhuo to be constantly jotting things down.

Don’t think she hadn’t noticed—on the surface, he paired up with her, but in reality, his gaze was practically boring a hole through Yan Feixing’s back next door.

Did his looks have to be so obvious?

It made her feel sick, as if she’d become a piece of their little play.

Any fondness she had felt for Ning Qinghuan instantly vanished.

Hu Biting sneered—while others might fear Pei Jin, she certainly didn’t. Chin raised, she looked him squarely in the eye. “Film King Pei, I finally understand why you act so well.”

“What do you mean?” Pei Jin instinctively turned to her.

“This innate confidence of yours is something others simply can’t match. Otherwise, why would you believe Xu Yunzhuo is doing all this just to get your attention? She didn’t even spare you a glance the entire time,” Hu Biting replied.

Pei Jin’s expression froze, a reflexive denial surging up inside him—impossible!

Xu Yunzhuo couldn’t live without him.

Why else would she always show up the day after, no matter how harsh his words, making him more and more irritated?

If not for meeting the gentle and understanding Ning Qinghuan, he felt Xu Yunzhuo would have driven him to depression.

He had never encountered such a shameless woman.

He sneered in return, “You don’t actually know what kind of person she is. When you do, you’ll keep your distance too. She’s the type with no sense of shame or self-respect, who takes pleasure in pestering others—it’s disgusting. She stalks you like a maniac, knows your every move, and even ‘coincidentally’ runs into you whenever you go out. She’s used every trick just to seduce me. Hu Biting, I’ll only warn you once: stay away from her.”

Finishing, he savored the shock on Hu Biting’s face, finally feeling a bit of satisfaction.

Everything he said was true—Xu Yunzhuo had always been like this.

All she did today was just another one of her ploys to get close to him.

But hadn’t Xu Yunzhuo gotten things wrong? They were already engaged, then broke it off—they were only a notch above strangers now. At least he could remember her name.

So, no matter what Xu Yunzhuo did, he would never spare that revolting woman another glance.

She even followed him onto the dating show just to make things difficult for him—how utterly shameless!

Just as that thought crossed his mind, the umbrella in his hand was snatched away.

He stared, dumbfounded at the slender figure, before anger overtook him. “Xu Yunzhuo, why are you taking my umbrella!”

Pei Qiaonian merely lifted his eyelids with indifference, not bothering to respond.

He’d heard every word Pei Jin had just said.

He wondered how the real Xu Yunzhuo would feel if she’d heard those words right there—he found it all rather irritating.

Pei Qiaonian had never investigated Xu Yunzhuo, so he didn’t know if Pei Jin’s accusations were true or not.

But his instincts told him Xu Yunzhuo wasn’t capable of something so vile.

Snatching the umbrella, he held it over his own head and walked off without a word, heading for the last available shared electric scooter nearby.

Seeing this, Hu Biting hurried after him. “Xu Yunzhuo, give me a ride—I don’t want to walk in the rain!”

Only then did the cameraman turn the lens to capture Pei Qiaonian and Hu Biting leaving together on the scooter.

[What just happened? The screen went black and the sound cut off—did they have a fight? Haha, Xu Yunzhuo can even ride an e-scooter?]
[Wait, isn’t that the umbrella the show provided? Why is it in Xu Yunzhuo’s hands? Did she just beat Film King Pei for it?]
[Lol, that’s exactly the kind of thing Crazy Sis would do. She forcibly documents cute moments—who knew you could do that! Can I pick a couple and have her “ship” them for me?]
[She’s really something else—knowing Pei Jin had no umbrella and still taking his, so selfish! Pei Jin spent the entire livestream watching Qinghuan—could it be any more obvious? What is the production team up to, separating them on purpose? Are they saving the reunion for the next episode’s hype?]
[You’ve hit the nail on the head... Wow, even drenched, Film King Pei is still so handsome.]

Pei Jin was left with neither umbrella nor raincoat.

Pei Qiaonian hadn’t even left him a single spare.

The production had no extra gear, so he was forced to walk all the way back to the villa.

By the time he arrived, it was already eight in the evening.

He’d been walking for three full hours.

Even after his phone had died, no one answered his calls.

The crew certainly wouldn’t help him—they needed to keep things “realistic,” to prove there was no script.

Online, some people felt sorry for him, others just enjoyed the spectacle—but none of it compared to Pei Jin’s burning desire to tear Xu Yunzhuo apart at that moment.

So when Ning Qinghuan was the first to notice his return, she hurried to meet him. “Where have you been? Why are you only getting back now?”

Pei Jin’s hair was still dripping, his voice cold. “Where’s Xu Yunzhuo?”

Ning Qinghuan paused, hiding her discomfort. She pointed upstairs. “Yunzhuo was exhausted, so she went to rest. Have you eaten? We saved you a meal.”

Yan Feixing wasn’t resting either; he cocked his head at Pei Jin. “Wait, you had no umbrella or car? Is that why you look like a drowned rat?”

Gu Qi eagerly handed him a towel. “Here, dry off—how did you get so soaked?”

Pei Jin didn’t refuse Gu Qi’s kindness; he was used to being the center of attention. He’d assumed Xu Yunzhuo would come looking for him, maybe even bring him home. But instead, she’d already gone upstairs to rest.

A smoldering frustration welled up inside him.

Gu Qi was surprised. “Don’t tell me Xu Yunzhuo stole your umbrella and scooter?”

Hu Biting, feeling justified, quickly interjected, “I had the right to use the umbrella too! And the shared scooter—Yunzhuo scanned the code and paid for it. How can you say it was Pei Jin’s?”

Pei Jin nearly lost his composure. He took a deep breath. “Don’t mention her to me again.”

Everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

Only Ning Qinghuan’s hands, hanging by her side, were clenched so tightly that her palms were white.

The next day.

Pei Qiaonian took advantage of the crew’s lunch break to visit the Yun family.

By then, Xu Yunzhuo had already arrived to complete her task.

Thanks to Pei Qiaonian’s reminder, she knew Madame Xu and Xu Muning would both be there.

So, when she was warmly welcomed upon entering, she wasn’t surprised at all.

Their smiling faces didn’t stir any emotion in Xu Yunzhuo.

Expressionless, she walked right past the two of them and instead handed the carefully prepared gift in her hand to the gray-haired old lady sitting in the center.

“Madam Yun, my grandfather sent me to pay his respects. How is your health these days?”

Standing beside the old lady was a middle-aged man.

He hurriedly accepted the gift and bowed slightly. “President Pei, my mother is in excellent health. Thank you for your family’s concern.”

Xu Yunzhuo pressed her lips together before looking at Madam Yun again.

The old lady’s cloudy eyes brightened instantly. She grasped Xu Yunzhuo’s hand, her voice trembling with joy. “Zhuozhuo, my precious child, you’ve come home!”