Extreme Pampering
Chapter 162: The wedding room is even ready.

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: The wedding room is even ready.

When Shen Zhiyi arrived at the film set the next day, the atmosphere was distinctly off, with everyone quietly discussing something and the director’s face looking incredibly upset as he continuously complained to the production coordinator.

"I’ve worked so hard preparing for so long... and Xu Xia this time... before the drama promotion even started, she’s already stealing the limelight..."

"Sister," Xiaodong said, visibly pleased as he handed her the phone, "Sister Feifei acted so swiftly. She got Xu Xia trending on the hot search in the wee hours. Our video wasn’t filmed in vain; now she’s really getting slammed."

Bullying teammates, acting like a diva, stealing roles, mistreating the extras, and that slap she gave Shen Zhiyi under the guise of filming—all of this was within Shen Zhiyi’s expectations and easy to check. But when Zhiyi saw the next few trending topics, she paused.

[Xu Xia’s Secret Affair]

[Is Shen Zhiyi Just a Decoy?]

It turned out that her contractual relationship with Huo Heng had been exposed.

Huo Heng had already left the industry and had faded from the public eye, but not to the extent of being forgotten completely. Once this news broke, everyone was feasting on this juicy story, beginning to recap Shen Zhiyi’s history before her relationship with Huo Heng was officially announced. From various signs, compared to Shen Zhiyi, Xu Xia indeed seemed the most likely to have an affair with Huo Heng.

Including that hotel photo passed around by marketing accounts and Huo Heng’s fans—when investigated thoroughly, it appeared that Xu Xia was the one who had checked into the hotel that day. There were other photos taken by the paparazzi too, but their mouths had later been shut.

With these damaging revelations, Xu Xia was powerless to respond, unable to explain herself, and she still hadn’t made a statement while public opinion continued to ferment.

"Now Xu Xia truly can’t wriggle out of this one," Xiaodong said, feeling a sense of schadenfreude, "It’s apparent that her company is trying to suppress this, but they can’t get the trending topics removed. Sister Feifei is just amazing."

However, Shen Zhiyi knew that the person who did all this was not only Wang Feifei. When she had negotiated this with Wang Feifei, she only told her to dig up Xu Xia’s dirty laundry from inside the industry, not to expose her affair with Huo Heng. The only person who could have done that was Pei Yu.

While she was reflecting, Pei Yu called to invite her to dinner. Qin Xiaoran had returned from his vacation in Fiji and wanted to meet up with them.

"Okay," Shen Zhiyi’s face had mostly recovered from the swelling, but if one looked closely, a slight mark was still visible. She was supposed to shoot the scenes where her character gets beaten today, but with Xu Xia absent, her own scenes had to be postponed as well. It looked like they would wrap up early today, "Did you have a hand in Xu Xia’s situation?"

It was phrased as a question, but Shen Zhiyi’s tone was one of certainty.

"Yes," Pei Yu didn’t hide it from her, saying indifferently, "If we’re going to shake out her dark secrets, we can’t leave any out."

"Is that all?" Shen Zhiyi couldn’t help but want to laugh at his cool tone, "No personal interest involved?"

She knew how much he minded Huo Heng, how much he hated it when people linked her with Huo Heng. By exposing Xu Xia’s secret affair with Huo Heng, at the very least, no one would think of Shen Zhiyi as Huo Heng’s ex-girlfriend anymore.

He was doing everything possible to drive Huo Heng out of Shen Zhiyi’s world.

Pei Yu pushed open the door of his office with Secretary Qin following him, and as he closed the door, he admitted in an unexpectedly forthright tone, "There was personal interest. Are you going to blame me?"

He had a strong aversion to Huo Heng, initially out of jealousy, but now it was coupled with disgust.

Huo Heng, after assuming the role of rescuing Shen Zhiyi from his hands, should have taken good care of her, but he even failed at that.

Such a man had no right to be linked in any way to Shen Zhiyi.

"How could I blame you," Shen Zhiyi felt helpless but amused because she could hear the confidence in his voice. He knew she would indulge him and not fuss over such matters, "It’s just that you care too much about Huo Heng."

His concern wasn’t entirely out of jealousy, mixed with something Shen Zhiyi still couldn’t quite understand, which often left her feeling puzzled, after all, Huo Heng had long since exited her life.

"I am narrow-minded," Pei Yu admitted with such frankness that the term didn’t seem to carry a negative connotation, "I even get jealous when you mention his name."

Shen Zhiyi was amused by him, "Alright, then I won’t mention it anymore."

Pei Yu’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and his expression finally softened, carrying a hint of an almost imperceptible smile.

Just coming out of the meeting room with his brows furrowed due to a recent and rather difficult acquisition, the clouds parted for him now, leaving Secretary Qin in awe.

He thought Miss Shen hadn’t said much at all.

As Shen Zhiyi anticipated, the film set was a mess today. The director was worrying about how Xu Xia’s deteriorating public image would affect his film and was looking for a chance to kick her out, so busy he couldn’t focus on directing, allowing Shen Zhiyi to wrap up early.

By the time she arrived at Tunan Mansion, Qin Xiaoran and Qin Fang had already ordered the dishes and were discussing the wedding.

The wedding was drawing near, but Qin Xiaoran felt no excitement, finding the whole wedding affair to be nothing but exhausting.

Shen Zhiyi walked in from outside, shedding her thick coat and wearing only a long-sleeved velvet dress, "You look unhappy, what’s up?"

"I’m tired," Qin Xiaoran complained to her, "I’ve been telling everyone not to get married lightly. It’s a mountain of things to do, and my mother-in-law is so difficult to please. She has to question everything; it’s driving me nuts."

"Tsk," Qin Fang warned her, "you can say that to anyone but her. If Brother Pei hears it, be careful or he might dump you on some deserted island."

"I’m only saying this because Brother Pei Yu isn’t here," Qin Xiaoran stuck out her tongue, "Sister Zhiyi, when do you plan on getting married?"

Shen Zhiyi was stumped by that question, as she hadn’t really thought about a specific time.

"You should do it soon," Qin Xiaoran said cheerily, "Brother Pei Yu has even got the wedding house ready, and all the furniture is taken care of. If you delay any further, he might buy another property to decorate."

"What?" Shen Zhiyi was unaware as Pei Yu had never mentioned buying a house, "I didn’t know."

"Remember when I asked you to check with Brother Pei Yu if he could give me that table made of small-leaf rosewood he had acquired? That’s meant for the wedding house."

Qin Xiaoran blinked, "As for where this wedding house is and what it looks like, you should ask him yourself."

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear, Pei Yu walked in, not paying much attention to what everyone was talking about and took a seat next to Shen Zhiyi, casually asking, "Ask what?"

"When you were coming," Qin Xiaoran took over the conversation, deftly changing the subject with a smile.

Qin Fang also said, "Setting a dinner with you is quite the task. You two are so busy, it makes me feel like some idle heir, doing nothing with his days. Mr. Xiaoqin, I’m pretty busy too, okay?"

"Oh," Pei Yu served Shen Zhiyi some food with his chopsticks, "Busy with blind dates?"

Qin Fang nearly choked on his tea, finding not even the finest Da Hong Pao tea appealing anymore, and asked in horror, "How did you know?"

Good heavens, what could ever be kept from him.