Chapter Seventy-Four: The Promise Made Years Ago

Sang Yijia had no idea how she managed to walk out; when she looked up, she saw Lu Wenchuan waiting for her at the restaurant entrance. Suddenly, Duan Yuqing’s words popped into her mind: “My boss, who’s also my ex-boyfriend, is quite good-looking.”
“But I just wonder, why do handsome men always seem to like their own kind?”

A shiver ran through Sang Yijia, and she instinctively took a step back.

Lu Wenchuan: “???”

“What’s wrong?” Lu Wenchuan’s brows furrowed slightly. What exactly had Sang Yijia and Wild talked about?

“It’s nothing.” Sang Yijia rubbed her temples. “I just heard something so shocking that I still haven’t recovered.”

Lu Wenchuan made a sound of acknowledgment but didn’t press further.

“Aren’t you curious?” Sang Yijia glanced at the camera crew, noticing the lens drawing closer. She tilted her head, her clear and luminous eyes seeming to ask if something was amiss.

[It’s the first time I’ve noticed how beautiful Sang Yijia’s eyes are.]
[I’ve said it before, Sang Yijia isn’t ugly at all. She’s actually very pretty.]
[Now I just don’t know what to say anymore.]

Lu Wenchuan smiled. “If I ask, will you tell me?”

“No.” Sang Yijia shook her head. This was Duan Yuqing’s secret, and she had promised not to reveal it.

Lu Wenchuan nodded. “In that case, I won’t ask.”

Sang Yijia made a sound of agreement and said nothing more.

The two returned to their room in silence.

Only then did Lu Wenchuan recall, upon seeing the double bed, that they were to share a room.

He pressed his lips together, glanced at Sang Yijia, and said, “I’ll go get another room in a moment. You don’t need to feel awkward.”

He would have liked to spend time alone with Sang Yijia, but not yet—not so soon.

“Alright,” Sang Yijia didn’t mind, but seeing Lu Wenchuan go to such trouble made her feel apologetic. “Sorry for the inconvenience.”

“It’s nothing.” Lu Wenchuan shook his head. “It’s a small matter, don’t worry about it.”

Their entire conversation was broadcast live. Strictly speaking, this was against the rules, but no one stepped forward to object.

In the live chat, viewers left comments:

[Lu is such a gentleman!]
[Most couples don’t immediately sleep together even when dating, do they?]
[I think this is the production team’s fault.]
[I agree. Even if there are two beds, it’s still under one roof—you never know what might happen.]
[Lu’s decision is the right one!]

The staff watched the barrage of comments and turned their eyes toward Director Chen.

Director Chen, feeling the gazes behind him, twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Why are you all looking at me?”

“Is this something I have any say over?” All these arrangements came from above, and Director Chen rolled his eyes before turning back to the live stream.

“Director Chen, should we give Sang Yijia and her partner a warning?” someone asked.

He snorted. “People are alive, rules are dead.”

“Who do you want to warn?” He swept his gaze around, and no one dared speak again.

Meanwhile, Lan Qing and Shen Jin returned to their couple’s room. Upon seeing the heart-shaped bed, a trace of embarrassment flashed across both their faces.

Shen Jin glanced at the camera, then at Lan Qing. “Qingqing, I’ll go see if there are any other rooms available.”

If there weren’t cameras, Shen Jin would have gladly shared the bed with Lan Qing. But on camera, he had to maintain his image—such things were out of the question.

Lan Qing felt a wave of relief. She’d been afraid Shen Jin would insist on staying, which would have left them both awkward and at a loss for how to behave.

“Then, let’s meet again after our midday rest,” Shen Jin said, looking at Lan Qing. Seeing that she clearly didn’t want him to stay, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes as he turned and left.

In the live chat, Shen Jin’s fans, in particular, felt wronged on his behalf.

[This is clearly the production’s arrangement—why separate them?]
[Where’s the production team? Why aren’t they saying anything?]
[If anyone should leave, it should be Lan Qing! Why make our guy leave?]

Lan Qing’s fans were unhappy too.

[Why should Qingqing be the one to leave? She didn’t ask for another room.]
[You people are too much. If Qingqing had suggested it herself, you’d have found something else to complain about.]
[So disgusting.]
[If you’re so capable, why not go on the show yourselves?]

Before long, fans from both sides were fighting, taking their argument from the live chat to social media.

In less than ten minutes, the fan war between Shen Jin and Lan Qing’s supporters was trending.

Neither of the stars themselves was aware, but both their agents were already in contact.

—

Lu Wenchuan didn’t actually need to book another room. He already had a private suite at the hotel, on the top floor.

From there, the view was magnificent—a lush green landscape stretching as far as the eye could see.

Lu Wenchuan thought that if Sang Yijia ever came here, she would surely love it.

His phone rang.

He glanced down: it was a call from his grandfather.

He hesitated for a moment, tempted to pretend he hadn’t seen it, especially since there were no cameras around now.

But the call kept coming, a clear sign that his grandfather wouldn’t stop until he answered.

Lu Wenchuan pressed his lips together and answered, “Grandfather.”

“You finally picked up. Feeling guilty?” His grandfather huffed. “That girl, Sang, she’s the one from back then, isn’t she?”

There was nothing Lu Wenchuan did that his grandfather didn’t know about. He hadn’t called yesterday because he hadn’t confirmed Sang Yijia’s background, but now that he knew, and had been following the live stream, he couldn’t help but call.

Lu Wenchuan didn’t deny it. “Yes, Grandfather, it’s her.”

“So, what do you plan to do?” If she was the girl from back then, the old man wasn’t opposed to his grandson marrying someone from the entertainment industry.

Lu Wenchuan was silent for a moment, his gaze drifting to the sea of green outside the window. “Grandfather, I know what I’m doing.”

His grandfather snorted. “You have such a golden opportunity, and yet you go and get another room instead of spending more time with her.”

Lu Wenchuan rubbed his temples, feeling a headache. “Grandfather, it’s not the right time.”

“And when will it be the right time? Your classmates’ kids are old enough to run errands already.”

“What about you? I’m not asking you to get married and have children right this instant, but can’t you at least find yourself a girlfriend?” His grandfather’s words were heartfelt, followed by a long sigh.

“If not, how am I supposed to face your parents in the afterlife?”

“Grandfather, I’ll handle it,” Lu Wenchuan sighed after rubbing his temples.

His grandfather knew it wasn’t something to rush. “The Sang family won’t be easy to deal with. You’d better think of something.”

“Back then, you promised her parents you’d never appear in her life again.”