Chapter 129

Zhou Jingkai straightened up from behind the flower trellis, brushing the dirt from his hands. His gaze toward Lu Mingzhe was icy cold.

This time of year, most of the flowers on the trellis were in full bloom, or the foliage was thick and lush. Thanks to the cover, Lu Mingzhe hadn’t noticed someone else was there at first.

Lu Mingzhe glanced between He Dongling and Zhou Jingkai, then looked toward the secluded little greenhouse nearby, as if something had just occurred to him. His expression darkened instantly.

His eyes burned with fury, like they could spit fire.

“Well, no wonder you were in such a rush to divorce me. Turns out you already had someone lined up. Barely divorced and already hooking up? Couldn’t even wait a little?”

Now that he had figured it out, Lu Mingzhe suddenly lost all desire to continue speaking with He Dongling.

“You know my status in the industry. Other things might be tricky, but shutting down a nobody like you, someone with zero popularity, is child’s play.”

“If you still want to stay in this circle, don’t cross me.”

“If you clear things up properly, maybe—just maybe—I’ll take pity on you and throw you a role. I suggest you think carefully before making any decisions.”

With that, Lu Mingzhe turned and walked away, tossing a provocative glance at Zhou Jingkai before leaving.

Zhou Jingkai had assumed He Dongling would stop him, maybe even slap him twice like she used to when they were kids and he annoyed her.

But to his surprise, the previously furious He Dongling simply endured it. She took a deep breath and went back to tending the plants.

Zhou Jingkai stood there for a long time before finally speaking in a low voice.

“From what I remember, the old you would’ve gone straight at him, fists flying.”

He Dongling moved the flowerpot back to its original spot, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.

“We’re adults now… We can’t act on impulse like we did as kids.”

After hitting so many walls in this industry, He Dongling had long since learned to endure.

When you don’t have the power to change your circumstances, all you can do is tolerate them.

There was no need to think it through. Her instincts had already adapted to always choosing the most advantageous path for herself.

“Compared to you now, I think An An is more like the old you.”

Everyone had felt sorry for An An when he said his dad had passed away. But Zhou Jingkai had a gut feeling that wasn’t the truth.

That clever little rascal would never make a mistake like that. It was far more likely he’d said it on purpose to avoid trouble.

“Hmm? You’re right. He’s starting to look more and more like me.”

He Dongling used to get irritated whenever someone pointed out how much An An resembled Lu Mingzhe. But lately, that feeling hadn’t surfaced in a long time.

It wasn’t until Zhou Jingkai mentioned it that she suddenly realized it herself.

She walked over to the faucet, washed the dirt off her hands, gave Zhou Jingkai a quick nod, and headed off to find An An for a cuddle.

At this time of day, An An was usually playing with Haha. A child over three had energy on par with a husky. Some of the toys meant for the dog, An An could play with too.

Like throwing something and having Haha fetch it back.

When He Dongling approached, she saw An An from a distance, his head soaked in sweat from playing. His shirt was drenched through.

“An An?”

Hearing his mom call his name, An An whipped his head around. As soon as he saw her, he turned and ran straight toward her, leaving Haha behind with a rubber ball in its mouth, looking around in confusion.

Haha dropped the ball and also ran over to them.

He Dongling scooped up An An’s chubby little body, and the thought popped into her head that he was probably about to give her a kiss.

Sure enough, the next second, An An wrapped his arms around her neck, leaned in, and gave her a kiss. Then, blushing, he hid on the other side of her shoulder.

They were so close that He Dongling could hear his soft giggles.

She had been spending so much time with An An lately that she hadn’t noticed anything unusual. But today, in hindsight, so many things came to mind.

She was deeply grateful for this child’s presence in her life. Because of him, so much had changed for the better.

If not for An An, He Dongling couldn’t imagine how she would’ve responded to Lu Mingzhe’s marriage proposal back when she was in that state.

Under the sunlight, An An’s bright smile and pearly white teeth made him look like a lively, adorable little angel.

Beside them, Haha let out a few competitive howls, clearly wanting to be cuddled too.

He Dongling set An An down, gently ruffled Haha’s head, and said with a helpless smile, “You’re too heavy. I can’t lift you.”

Back in the greenhouse, after He Dongling left, Zhou Jingkai returned to his room. On the way, he replayed the conversation between Lu Mingzhe and He Dongling in his mind.

He had thought it was a small matter that He Dongling could handle on her own. He hadn’t expected her to swallow it all down and act like nothing had happened.

Once he closed the door, Zhou Jingkai called his older brother.

After returning from studying abroad, he had started his own company and was seen by many as a promising young entrepreneur.

But the truly accomplished one in the Zhou family was his older brother, who had taken over the family business at a young age and grown it impressively.

This wasn’t something he could handle alone, so he figured he might as well ask for help.

After hearing what Zhou Jingkai had to say, his brother immediately sensed something was off and asked in a wary tone, “Be honest. Are you still hung up on He Dongling?”

“Don’t rush to deny it. If there’s nothing going on, why would I help someone who has nothing to do with us?”

Zhou Jingkai had been about to offer an excuse, but his brother saw right through him. So he gave up, slumped onto the couch, and laid everything out.

“Yes.”

“I went abroad because I couldn’t stand seeing them together. It made me miserable.”

“When I heard their marriage was falling apart, I came back.”

His brother had only asked out of habit, not expecting such an answer. He was stunned for a long moment before snapping out of it, gritting his teeth in frustration.

“If she hadn’t divorced him, would you really have tried to be the third party and wreck their relationship?”

Zhou Jingkai had never considered that possibility before.

After all, the reason he came back was just to see He Dongling again. If they could spend some time together, that would be ideal.

But now that his brother had brought it up, he followed the thought and, after a pause, gave a quiet “Mm.”

“If she was willing.”

His brother’s only consolation now was that he was still young and took good care of his health. Otherwise, he might’ve had a heart attack from the rage.

He slammed the hang-up button and threw his phone aside, needing a moment to calm down.

He was furious, but once he cooled off, he still had to help.

If this ever reached their parents, and he hadn’t given them a heads-up, they might not be able to handle the shock of their own son trying to become someone’s homewrecker.

…

Lu Mingzhe was in a foul mood because of what had happened. His feelings for He Dongling had long since vanished—ever since he saw her looking so wretched while pregnant.

But maybe it was just a man’s possessiveness. Seeing his ex-wife with another man still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

It felt almost like catching her cheating.

With nowhere to vent, Lu Mingzhe went to find Li Lulu. Though their relationship hadn’t been made public yet, they had been secretly seeing each other for quite some time, and had already been physically intimate on multiple occasions.

Li Lulu was also frustrated. She hadn’t expected the CP (couple pairing) they had hyped up so smoothly before to suddenly backfire this badly.

An An had attracted a huge fanbase through the variety show, and those fans adored him.

Now, seeing Li Lulu as the woman who had ruined An An’s chance at a happy family, they had turned on her.

On screen, their closeness could be explained as part of the job. But off screen, going on a trip abroad with a married man, posing in swimsuits for intimate photos—no fan could defend that.

As soon as she saw Lu Mingzhe, Li Lulu asked in a worried tone:

“What about that issue? Will it affect our future plans?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already taken care of it. As long as He Dongling still wants to stay in this industry, she won’t dare cross us.”

Lu Mingzhe skillfully soothed her concerns. With just a casual mention of a certain opportunity, he left Li Lulu’s smile frozen on her lips.

She knew that the director of that drama had a good relationship with Lu Mingzhe. She had originally planned to ask him to speak to the director and secure that role for her. It would have been a major boost to her career.

“Such a great opportunity, and you’re really willing to give it to He Dongling?”

That question made Lu Mingzhe glance at her, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips as he replied, “Of course not. That role is for you. Is there any proof I ever said otherwise?”

“If she comes to ask me for it, I’ll just say it’s not available. And if she wants to go scorched earth and have An An smear our reputation like this again, well, that depends on whether people believe her.”

Li Lulu found his reasoning perfectly sound. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in with a smile.

“I knew it, my husband is the best. No matter what happens, you always handle it.”

“Naturally. I’m this amazing. So, what’s my reward?”

…

Lu Mingzhe was woken by a knock at the door. Still unrested, he sat up with a scowl, rubbing his aching temples before getting out of bed to open the door.

Standing outside was his manager, her face full of panic. When she saw Lu Mingzhe wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, she lowered her voice and said, “Didn’t I tell you before you joined this show that it’s live? And you still said something like that during the broadcast?”

“I didn’t say anything wrong.”

Lu Mingzhe was well aware it was a live show. The audience could see everything in real time, so he had been extra cautious, afraid that anything might damage his image.

He went out of his way to take care of Li Lulu and her brother, even putting on the act of a devoted stay-at-home dad.

The act was exhausting, and now his manager was blaming him? Lu Mingzhe’s irritation was written all over his face.

“You think you didn’t say anything wrong? Do you even know what’s going on online right now?”

“What?”

Lu Mingzhe took the tablet his manager handed him. The trending topics on the hot search left him frozen in place, his face pale and a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“How is this possible?”

The balcony where the small flower rack stood had originally been a blind spot with no surveillance, which was why Lu Mingzhe had dared to speak so freely. He was certain no one would hear.

But not long ago, Haha had been playing hide-and-seek with Xiao Yangyu and hid there, accidentally knocking over a few flowerpots.

So the production team had installed two cameras in that area. The dog had become quite popular with the audience.

Later, when He Dongling and Zhou Jingkai went to clean up, they were essentially covering for Haha.

And Lu Mingzhe had been standing right in the camera’s line of sight.

The show’s equipment was top-tier, capturing everything in high definition with crystal-clear audio.

Even Lu Mingzhe’s fans couldn’t believe it. The things he said off-camera were completely at odds with the gentle and refined persona he portrayed on screen.

Arrogant, egotistical, rude—these labels were now firmly attached to Lu Mingzhe.

He scrolled down a bit and saw countless netizens discussing the incident. After a long search, he couldn’t find a single comment defending him.

【WTF, what does this even mean?】

【If he’s asking An An to help clear things up with that attitude, doesn’t that just confirm the whole thing is true?】

【Threatening He Dongling’s future to silence her—Lu Mingzhe really thinks he’s some big shot.】

【Ugh, that line He Dongling said later was so heartbreaking. Of course, as a kid, you follow your heart. But once you grow up, you can’t anymore.】

【No matter what, He Dongling is still the mother of his child. An An is his biological son. How could he do something like this?!】

【Do Lu Mingzhe’s fans have anything to say now? Let’s see how you plan to spin this one.】

The video was so high quality that even though the production team deleted it quickly, plenty of people had already saved it and were spreading it like wildfire.

Fans could recognize their idol instantly. What used to be a source of pride had now become a disgrace.

Lu Mingzhe shut off the tablet and handed it back to his manager, his face cold as he said, “I’m done with this show for now. We’re going back to the company for a meeting. We need to figure out how to handle this.”

“Alright.”

His manager agreed with this plan. She had the assistant contact the director while she and Lu Mingzhe got ready to return to the company.

Because it was all so sudden, Lu Mingzhe only had time to give Li Lulu a brief explanation. He threw on a shirt, not even bothering to button it properly, and rushed out.

In situations like this, the sooner they clarified things, the less damage it would cause. He was desperate to get back to the company.

Outside the door, Xiao Yangyu was holding a toy microphone, singing a song she had made up for Haha.

Her childish voice was soft and unclear, but both Film Emperor Jiang and Best Actress Zhu were clapping along enthusiastically.

At that age, kids didn’t need to be particularly talented. Their cuteness while performing was what drew people in.

The show’s equipment was top-notch, and some sharp-eyed viewers noticed someone walking past in the background of Xiao Yangyu’s livestream. The figure looked familiar.

Someone took a screenshot, zoomed in, and compared it carefully. It was Lu Mingzhe.

The scandal was still trending, and netizens who loved a good drama enlarged the image and spotted a hickey on his neck.

【WTF, everyone look at this! Is that a mosquito bite?】

【What kind of giant mosquito left that? Let me see.】

【Why are the guests on this parenting show getting up to this kind of stuff?】

【Even dating shows don’t have guests this thirsty. Who is it?】

【With my years of experience, I can tell by the color of the hickey that it happened today!】

Just as netizens started to realize something was off, the production team released a statement: Lu Mingzhe would no longer be participating in the show due to work commitments.

Using work as an excuse was convenient, but it didn’t hold up when fans had just seen a hickey on his neck. Many started speculating that he bailed to go on a date.

Countless fans flooded the company’s Weibo, demanding an explanation.

Lu Mingzhe had always maintained a hardworking, all-about-the-job public image. After so many years, seeing that image collapse was especially hard to accept.

Some fans could understand if he dropped out because the show wasn’t going well.

But if it was because he skipped work to be with his girlfriend, the more extreme fans were ready to protest outside his agency with banners.

The scandal had blown up so massively that even Lu Mingzhe’s management company had taken notice.

He hadn’t even arrived at the company yet when another issue hit.

His manager instinctively glanced at his neck. The hickey was glaringly obvious—anyone could see it.

For a moment, she was so frustrated she could barely speak. She wanted to scold him but held back. Instead, she asked quietly, “Given the situation, how do you want to handle this?”

Lu Mingzhe, his head throbbing with pain, heard the question and smashed his phone against his hand in fury.

“You’re asking me? Are you the manager or am I? Isn’t this your job?”

In just a short time, the public backlash had spiraled out of control.

Previously, most of Lu Mingzhe’s fans were shippers, but over the years, his fanbase had diversified.

His assistant and staff all looked mature, and since he was filming the same show as Li Lulu, it was hard not to connect the dots.

In the past, fans could convince themselves that the CP hype was just for career purposes.

But now that it looked like Li Lulu was actually his girlfriend, they were ready to tear the roof off.

Some fans even went to his manager’s Weibo, demanding a statement or a public clarification.

Seeing Lu Mingzhe in this near-meltdown state, the manager took a deep breath, forced herself to stay calm, and said as rationally as she could:

“I told you from the start I didn’t agree with you joining a livestream reality show.”

“I gave you all my advice, but you refused to listen. Now that things have blown up, you come to me? What do you expect me to do?”

There might have been a chance to salvage things earlier, but now that public opinion had snowballed to this point, even the most powerful PR team could only try to minimize the damage.

“Then what use are you to me? Get lost.”

Lu Mingzhe said this as a threat, hoping to force his agent to come up with a solution. But after hearing it, a flash of disappointment crossed her eyes. As soon as the car stopped, she opened the door and walked off in the opposite direction.

Fine! She was done!

Lu Mingzhe had no time to deal with his agent. He returned to the company, hoping to fix the mess online. But just as he stepped into the office, before he could say a word, an assistant who usually followed the deputy director walked in.

“Mr. Lu, there’s no room left to turn things around. The company just held an emergency meeting. We’ve decided to drop you.”

“What?”

The assistant announced the news with a cold expression, then opened a folder and began listing the brands and compensation amounts Lu Mingzhe owed due to damage to his public image.

Just half a month ago, he was the male celebrity the company had planned to heavily promote.

Now that the company had given up on him, Lu Mingzhe had no choice but to figure things out on his own. He leaned back in his chair, pulled out his phone, and saw that the screen was already shattered like a spiderweb.

He rummaged through a cabinet and found an old phone, inserted his SIM card, and logged into Weibo to post an official announcement on his own.

Lu Mingzhe: Yes, Lulu and I officially started dating a month ago. We had planned to share the good news after the show ended, but didn’t expect so many unexpected events.

After posting, he even left a comment under his own post:

【We hope to receive everyone’s blessings.】

After spending so much time with Li Lulu, Lu Mingzhe knew exactly what kind of person she was.

If she found out that the company had dropped him, she would definitely break up with him. So he took the opportunity to make their relationship public.

His reputation was in the gutter now, but Li Lulu was different. With her, there was still a chance he could make a comeback.

Back when he was with He Dongling, his reputation wasn’t much better than it was now, yet he still managed to become one of the hottest stars in the industry.

…

Due to Lu Mingzhe’s sudden departure, the production team was forced to activate their backup plan, asking the guests to invite an elder to join the show.

The main draw was still Zhu Yinghou and the Best Actor Jiang. Many viewers were curious to see how Zhu Yinghou got along with her mother-in-law at home.

The two didn’t disappoint. They really did bring in Jiang’s mother.

He Dongling invited her own mother. Given her situation, everyone understood and accepted it.

After all, if she had been asked to bring Lu Mingzhe’s mother, it wouldn’t have been a variety show anymore, but a live drama full of conflict.

If it were another female celebrity, some viewers might have enjoyed the drama. But no one wanted to see Xiao An’an upset.

When An An heard that his grandma was coming, he got so excited that he begged his mom to take him to pick her up. It took a lot of coaxing from He Dongling before he finally agreed to sit on a little stool by the door and wait.

But due to a flight delay, he waited all the way until nightfall without seeing her. When he started getting sleepy, Zhou Jingkai carried him back inside.

Early the next morning, An An, still in his pajamas and half-asleep, came downstairs looking for his uncle. The moment he saw his grandma sitting on the sofa, all traces of sleep vanished.

“Wow, Grandma!”

His little legs moved fast as he ran over to her.

Grandma He reached out to hug him and kissed his cheek with a warm smile.

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. Did An An miss Grandma?”

“Yes! I missed you super, super much!”

An An replied in his sweet, clear voice. Hearing the familiar sound, Haha also came running over, flopping down at Grandma He’s feet and letting out a series of soft whines, as if asking her to say she missed him too.

Haha had spent a long time with Grandma He. Even after all this time apart, he still felt close to her.

Just then, Li Lulu’s mother came downstairs holding her son’s hand. She saw Grandma He reaching out to pet the husky’s head and glanced at the many cameras in the living room. Without hesitation, she walked straight over.

It was her first time being filmed. People always said her daughter was a big star, and today she was finally getting a taste of that stardom herself.

“Elder sister, you might not know this, but dogs carry a lot of bacteria. After touching it, remember to wash your hands.”

Li’s mother thought she was giving helpful advice, hoping others would see her as knowledgeable.

But Grandma He felt an inexplicable sense of irritation after hearing that.

If they were about to eat, she’d naturally wash her hands without needing to be told. The way this woman spoke made it seem like she had to teach her everything.

“We’re all here to participate in this show together, so let’s get along and not give the audience anything to laugh at.”

Li’s mother, eager to be in the spotlight, kept chattering away. An An, finding her noisy, leaned against his grandma and swung his little feet in boredom.

Grandma He’s expression wasn’t very pleasant either. Only then did Li’s mother start to realize something was off.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed behind them. Zhou Jingkai rushed down the stairs, visibly flustered. When he saw An An sitting safely in Grandma He’s arms, he finally let out a deep breath of relief.

He had only taken An An’s wet shoes out to dry. But when he returned to the room, the bed was empty.

A child that small going missing was unthinkable. Zhou Jingkai had broken out in a cold sweat.

“Hello, Uncle~”

An An suddenly realized he might have done something wrong. Feeling a bit guilty, he waved and greeted his uncle with a sheepish smile, trying to ease the awkwardness.

Grandma He looked at the familiar man in front of her and tentatively asked,

“Jingkai?”

“Yes, Aunt He. You still remember me.”

Of course she did. He had once been engaged to her daughter. Over the years, her husband never stopped bringing him up, always saying how much happier their daughter would’ve been if she had stayed with him.

Back then, it really had been Lingling’s side that handled things poorly.

The past was the past. Grandma He sighed and said,

“What happened back then… it was Lingling who wronged you.”

【What’s going on? Do they know each other? He Dongling’s mom seems really familiar with Zhou Jingkai.】

【She said sorry? I feel like there’s something here we don’t know.】

【I get the feeling He Dongling and Zhou Jingkai have a history. One full of love and heartbreak!】

【What exactly did He Dongling do to wrong Zhou Jingkai? Can someone spill the tea?】

【No wonder she looked so awkward when they first met. Did she really do something terrible?】

At that moment, Li’s mother remembered something her daughter had told her before coming. She wasn’t about to let this go.

“It probably wasn’t anything serious, right? Why not tell us? We’re all here. If there’s a misunderstanding, it’s better to clear it up early.”

Grandma He was just an ordinary person, not yet used to having every word and action caught on camera. That was why she had spoken so openly when she saw Zhou Jingkai.

Now, hearing what Li’s mother said, she suddenly realized that saying more might hurt her daughter. She quickly shut her mouth and refused to say another word.

“Go on, tell us. It’s not like it was anything shameful, right? If it was, then I won’t ask.”

Li’s mother wore a fake, gracious smile. She looked generous, but was clearly pressuring her to spill the truth.

Zhou Jingkai didn’t want to see anyone giving He Dongling’s mother a hard time right under his nose. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention.

“It wasn’t anything serious. We were young back then, and I understand. So much time has passed, there’s no need to bring it up.”

“I don’t think the past matters more than the present. Don’t you agree, Aunt He?”

Grandma He understood he was helping her out and quickly nodded.

“Yes, yes, it’s all in the past now.”

An An wriggled out of his grandma’s arms and ran over to his uncle, tugging gently at his pant leg.

After so many years together, the two had developed a quiet understanding. Zhou Jingkai picked An An up, said goodbye to Grandma He, and took him back to the room to get changed and washed up.

After that incident, Grandma He became extremely wary of Li’s mother.

Before she came, the old man at home had already warned her that everyone in this circle had eight hundred tricks up their sleeves. Now that she was here, she could see it was absolutely true.

Zhou Jingkai, wanting to protect little An An’s privacy—who was just over three years old—closed the door when changing his clothes. The follow-cam crew didn’t go in after that.

This action immediately gave netizens a sense that something was off.

After all, the director of this variety show was notorious for stirring up drama. Even award-winning actresses had once hidden parts of their lives just to boost the show’s entertainment value.

But now, the follow-cam crew was actually obeying Zhou Jingkai without question. He told them to wait outside, and they didn’t take a single step forward.

【He Dongling’s mom once said that she and Zhou Jingkai had known each other for a long time. Does that mean they were childhood sweethearts?】

【Zhou Jingkai is getting better and better at taking care of An An, haha.】

【An An really looks like a little young master. That tiny proud face is so adorable, sob sob, let mommy give you a kiss.】

【The door’s closed? Why is the door closed? That’s my son, why can’t I watch him!】

【The follow-cam didn’t go in? It really didn’t go in? Zhou Jingkai said wait at the door and they actually waited? I’m telling you, you’re definitely getting your pay docked for this!】

【Aren’t you all the least bit curious why the crew is being so obedient?】

【I got curious and looked up some info on Zhou Jingkai. Guess what his real background is?】