Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself-Chapter 174: What’s So Great About Him?

Yu Xia stuffed both hands in her coat pockets, casually saying, "Hmm, Song Xi."

"Yu Xia, if you’re not in a hurry to leave, could we talk?"

"I’d rather not," she rudely declined, "you’re in a spot right now—spending a little too much time with a female celebrity and chatting isn’t a small matter. Cameras are everywhere aimed at you."

Song Xi was unfazed, continuing to speak as he pleased, "Spreading rumors doesn’t matter; it’s not true anyway. You should be experienced with these fake rumors, right? The only probable consequence is, he’d be provoked into doing something foolish?"

She finally gave him a once-over.

"Don’t you think you’re a bit inexplicable? We’re not that familiar, are we? What exactly are you trying to express by saying these things in front of me?"

She pretended to ponder for a moment, then she looked like she suddenly understood, "Oh, I see, you’re still hung up on me? Even when I’ve made it crystal clear that I don’t like someone like you, you shamelessly still won’t let go, right?"

Song Xi’s hands tightened in his trouser pockets, biting down and staring at her, watching the playful, clown-like expression on her face, and long-buried embarrassment surged back.

Seeing his expression made Yu Xia laugh, tossing her long hair and speaking as if they were really having a chat:

"See, you get easily provoked too, don’t you? If you want to appear composed, don’t act like a pathetic person whose wound has been poked."

Song Xi laughed too, whether at himself or at her unabashed partiality.

"What is it about him that’s so great?"

"It’s a goodness you can’t put into words, like tasting the finest liquor-filled chocolates. Shouldn’t you like that?" She said slowly, as if savoring the taste of the chocolate.

After her words, her gaze swept over him, and she added, "Why not be your solid chocolate? Comparing yourself to others?"

In her eyes, Song Xi’s interest seemed unreasonable, more like a competition against Xie Qingci, trying to prove he wasn’t inferior to Xie Qingci.

Given his undeniable capability, she sincerely offered some advice, "To surpass others doesn’t mean proving you’re better in every way; it means walking your own path to the best of your ability. If he acts foolishly and you do too, are you trying to see who’s more idiotic?"

With that, she turned to leave, Mei had already come looking for her.

Seeing her about to go, Song Xi blurted out his final thought, "If you don’t think much of me, then why care at all?"

Yu Xia: "?"

She turned back, staring at him incredulously, "Are you out of your mind? You call this caring? Have you lost your head and can’t tell a warning from an insult?"

Is this the legendary love-struck logic? As long as you’re breathing, you’re living for me. As long as you say something, it’s concern for me. Deaf much?

Ridiculous.

Mei had already come over, surprised to see it was Song Xi opposite her and then noting their unhappy exchange, she cautiously asked, "Sis, the car’s at the door, can we go?"

Yu Xia nodded, lifting her dress and heading out.

Song Xi pulled himself together, shedding his embarrassed and lost expression, bowed his head, departing in another direction.

...

The brief eventful day ended, and Yu Xia returned to the crew to continue filming.

The conversation with Song Xi was indeed photographed, but fortunately, the pictures were blurry, only showing that both were smiling—most reasonable netizens thought it was just a casual greeting without any gossip involved.

When Mei brought the relevant Weibo posts for her to see, she was worried, as if Yu Xia had a change of heart.

"Sis, don’t take it lightly. You might feel it’s nothing, being involved personally, but to Xie Qingci, this is serious!"

Yu Xia: "Seriously, how is it serious?"

"He loves you too much, he can’t stand you smiling at others, much less enjoying a laugh with Song Xi—he sees Song Xi as a rival! Plus, you act indifferent without explanation or consolation, it makes him insecure, doesn’t it? That insecurity leads to insomnia, loss of appetite, mental exhaustion— isn’t this serious?"

"...Are these symptoms of a major fund loss?"

Mei was speechless, her look saying she was exasperated beyond words.

Yu Xia stifled a laugh, glancing over to Xie Qingci.

"Fine, I’ll take some time to console him. Order some octopus balls for lunch, I’m off to shoot."

Mei’s eyes lit up, thinking Yu Xia was catching on, preparing to express her love for Xie Qingci more tactfully. She quickly began searching her phone for the best octopus ball delivery in the film city.

Muttering

Xie Qingci didn’t know what they were discussing. While walking through scenes together, he asked her, "Is there something joyous?"

"Yes, the octopus ball shop I’ve been craving finally remodeled. I’ll get to try it at lunch."

Xie Qingci smiled gently, lowering his head to place two roasted chestnuts in her hand.

He liked how she freely expressed her emotions; it gave him a sense of warmth.

Soon, the director called everyone to start shooting. Yu Xia patted the chestnut shells off her hand and went inside to take her seat.

"Burning Spring," Scene Fifty-Two, Take One, Action.

...

Early in the morning, news of the third son and fifth lady’s death at a brothel from the Marquis Yongcheng’s Mansion spread like wildfire throughout the capital.

Maids and servants in the mansion hurried along silently, heads down, while the intense sound of anger and crying echoed from the courtyard on the west side, audible even at the east side.

The granny came in talking about the noisy situation outside, as Song Zhuozhi was quietly adorning herself with a set of ruby jewelry.

Different from usual, she had abandoned her previous plain attire and donned dark red, luxurious clothing, surprising the granny into speaking up:

"Madam, there’s a new loss in the household, you shouldn’t dress so brightly..."

"Impertinent," she said sternly, tossing the mismatched earring in the granny’s direction, "Out."

Coldly, she turned to other maids, "All go out, go and see how my dear sister-in-law and fifth brother are crying and shouting over the two corpses, tell me word for word when you return."

The maids and granny lowered their heads in fear, tempted to advise, but another shattered jade bracelet soon startled them into quickly turning to leave.

Upon leaving the inner room, in a corridor, a maid commented nervously:

"What’s happened to Madam? She’s never lost her temper like this."

"It seems to be the little general’s death that’s upset her, just bear it, Madam’s not feeling well either."

"Do we really have to go watch how the third madam and fifth lord, how they...well, the death of the third lord and fifth lady isn’t exactly a public sight."

"Go anyway, it’s best to be informed, lest this dreadful affair is tied to Madam later."

Song Zhuozhi couldn’t hear their discussions. She lit a strongly scented incense, leaning on the dressing table, her slender fingers rummaging through the jewelry box.

"Even this poor woman’s jewels are so nauseating, no piece is satisfying, perhaps it’s better to smash them all."

This poor woman?

Lu Jiu furrowed his brow in the corner.