Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself

Chapter 533: Elf Ears

After Xie Qingci walked away, He Ci shook off Mei’s hand and straightened his slightly bent waist."You’re quite adept at covering your mouth like that, haven’t learned anything else from her but that."

Mei awkwardly withdrew her hand, "Don’t tell anyone, I just got a bit flustered and didn’t react."

"Even if I tell, no one would care. Xie Qingci doesn’t bother acknowledging you."

His eyes were fixed on the fairy in the center.

The fairy finished shooting several poses and was allowed to get up and move around. She floated over to Xie Qingci, holding down her dress. The two of them stuck together, with Xie Qingci feeding water and wiping sweat, and Yu Xia snuggling, making it seem as though the entire world was wrapped in a pink bubble that made it hard to breathe for those watching them.

"Is it hot? Are you uncomfortable?" Xie Qingci asked softly.

"I’m fine." Yu Xia leaned on his arm, her elf ears brushing against his arm, making him flinch slightly.

She instinctively protected her elf ears first, then held them and asked Xie Qingci, "Are they crooked?"

Xie Qingci’s gaze slowly moved to those pointy elf ears, a strand of black hair was draped over them. The hair was pushed aside by thin fingers tracing from the side of her face to behind her ears, and his gaze followed.

"I’m asking you, are they crooked?"

His eyes shifted and moved back to her eyes, the eye makeup emphasizing a natural black and white clarity, excessively pure, and his Adam’s apple bobbed once.

"Not crooked," he gently touched the elf ear with two fingers, then asked pensively, "Can I take this thing back as a prop?"

Initially, Yu Xia didn’t feel anything was wrong, discussing the recycling of props and waste, "Probably can?"

Xie Qingci fiddled with them a bit more, "Then I’ll take two pairs back."

"..." Now she understood, "Your fetish has seamlessly switched from Barbie dolls to non-human races?"

"My fetish is you." He whispered in her ear, then smoothly moved aside.

The makeup artist had already surrounded them, separating the two on either side, leaving Yu Xia with words unsaid.

After a long day of shooting, the photos were done, and it was close to meal time. The magazine side suggested they all go out for a meal together.

"Back when we had a meal together, you two weren’t together yet, right? It seemed like you guys were about to team up for a variety show, then while we were eating, someone exposed online that Xie Qingci’s relationship with an unknown girl was revealed."

Bringing this up, He Ci had a clear memory, recalling the massacred and pierced broccoli in Yu Xia’s bowl.

Yu Xia didn’t remember, only vaguely recalling the rumors between Xie Qingci and someone else, and how Mei speculated that Xie Qingci wouldn’t bother explaining on purpose.

Another person chuckled and said, "Back then, everyone said the rumor must be fake, Changhui wouldn’t let his artists start dating so soon. Who knew we were overthinking it. So it seems that teaming up for the variety show wasn’t just by chance, you two really ended up together. What triggered it?"

Xie Qingci replied nonchalantly, "Probably because I relentlessly pursued her until she got annoyed."

Everyone laughed, Yu Xia glanced at him and said nothing.

Upon arrival, Xie Qingci placed his baseball cap on her head before getting out of the car and glanced around casually.

"There’s paparazzi."

He’s now quite sensitive to cameras and usually notices when someone is taking shots of them.

Yu Xia lowered her head as she climbed the steps, saying, "It’s normal, just ignore it."

Just dining with business partners, not much to report even if papped, and it’s obvious what gossip point it will land on.

Sure enough, there was soon a reaction online, and footage of them exiting the car and entering the restaurant was uploaded to Weibo.

Gossip included both their names; even without inside scoop, there’s plenty of attention, not to mention the catchy headline: "Yu Xia shooting with Xie Qingci following the entire time."

This bore an 80% resemblance to past gossip of couples spying on each other after relationship rumors broke.

In the current entertainment scene, fans, especially male artists’ fans, tend to think that a girlfriend accompanying the artist to work is just to monitor their interactions with other women, potentially affecting their idol’s work with others, so they behave rather unfriendly.

Many artists do not want such news to leak out.

Male partners accompanying female artists is slightly better, but still somewhat impactful.

[Earlier it was said that Yu Xia was keeping an eye on Xie Qingci’s work to prevent him from getting too close to actresses, now it’s Xie Qingci’s turn to watch her, isn’t it?]

[They’re just dining with business partners, do you really need to comment on that?]

[I suggest marketing accounts refrain from publishing when there’s nothing to report.]

[When they said Yu Xia was keeping a tight watch on Xie Qingci, I believed it. Watching her series makes you think she’s a very controlling person. But now they’re saying Xie Qingci obsessively watches Yu Xia, which also seems reasonable. Given that Yu Xia is a rumor queen, Xie Qingci is right to be concerned. Maybe they’re both controlling each other, what do you think, editor?]

[They’re just affectionate; stop overanalyzing about monitoring.]

[Didn’t Yu Xia just fall ill? It’s said that Xie Qingci passed on work to be with her. Turns out he’s always by her side.]

[Please don’t photograph these private lives, can you? Or just put a title saying they’re affectionate and going out for a meal, okay/eyeroll]

[Yu Xia is about to win an award and reach the top, Xie Qingci must need to watch more attentively, not reassured of course.]

[They’ve been dating a year now, and their relationship still seems good. Dating a younger guy does help maintain freshness, not boring quickly.]

[Some folks just have to express their impressive world view online due to a rough life.]

[For those just wanting to enjoy sweetness: they were holding hands while climbing the stairs! Xie Qingci even wrapped an arm around Yu Xia’s waist! That arm draped across her waist makes me scream with excitement!]

[Younger brother-like boyfriend energy to the max, alongside the age and physical differences, really makes you swoon/drunken frenzy.jpg]

[...]

The online discussion did not disturb the meal.

This was the first time Xie Qingci accompanied Yu Xia to a meal social, not collaborating but merely as an industry family member companion, watching her eat and drink while chatting about work with others, he had nothing to do but care for her eating, feeling an entirely different sense.

It’s probably like—the well-known successful lady and her unassuming boyfriend in the background kind of special relationship?

The girlfriend shines too brightly, he simply became the backdrop.

His own thoughts brought a light laugh from him, as he picked another shrimp dumpling for Yu Xia.

Yu Xia was still talking with others about the collaboration with the film emperor, someone asked her, "Why not connect Xie Qingci with resources, wouldn’t it be good for you two to work together again?"

Yu Xia laughed lightly, turning her wine glass, "You’re underestimating him, he’s not some newbie that can only rely on me to rise."

As if the conversation assumed Xie Qingci clung to her, a minor online celebrity licking her breadcrumbs.

The film emperor she worked with was backed by a prominent boss, whose resources won’t be wanting anyone.