Chapter 2014 — Really or Not?

By then, Zhang Duopan would likely have found some excuse anyway, leaving He Meiyue with no recourse at all.

"No, Zhao Shengji says I'm too skinny, hee hee..." Chai Xiaoling said. "Meiyue, won't you have some too? Why so glum? Don't tell me the one you like is Zhang Duopan?"

"You go ahead, I'm not eating." He Meiyue waved her hand. "What worries me is that Zhang Duopan certainly won't let it go. I'm afraid he'll propose some other contest, and then there'll be no end to it..."

"Ah, beauties have beauties' troubles. We less remarkable girls don't have so much to worry about—there's only Zhao Shengji, and no choice to make." Chai Xiaoling shrugged.

"He treats you well. Cherish that," He Meiyue said.

…………………………

When it came Zhang Duopan's class's turn to perform, Cheng Yiyi's participation did whip the whole audience into high spirits, and the act was a great success. But her song was a notch below Xu Shilan's in theme to begin with: it was the kind of number built for hot dancing—pleasant enough to hear, but without the flavor of college life. Clearly, even setting aside Xu Shilan's formidable fame, there was no chance of outranking her.

Even so, the act counted as a great success and won high praise...

"Brother Lin, this time we're sure to take first place! Zhang Duopan's lot did all right, but compared with us they're still far behind," Bai Weituo said excitedly.

"Ha..." Wei Zhao thought to himself that their victory had been sheer luck. Had he not been onstage back then, the act would surely have fallen flat.

But who on earth knew Xu Shilan's secret—and even knew how to trigger her headaches? Could Zhang Duopan have arranged it? And how would Zhang Duopan have known?

What Wei Zhao could be certain of was that the woman in the black trench coat, hair loose and disheveled, covered in red paint—the one down in the audience earlier—was surely the culprit behind Xu Shilan's headache this time. Yet these were private matters that even Wei Zhao, a doctor, knew nothing about. How had Zhang Duopan come to know?

Most likely, such things were closely guarded secrets within the entertainment world.

"Brother Lin, tonight I'm planning to treat He Meiyue and her roommates to dinner. Why don't you come along?" Bai Weituo invited. "We could call it our victory celebration?"

"Tonight won't do, I'm afraid. I'm the one who invited Xu Shilan, so it'd be inexcusable not to treat her to a meal," Wei Zhao said. "She'll probably leave tomorrow..."

"Brother Lin, could I ask you a favor?" Bai Weituo, thick-skinned as ever, sidled up again.

"What favor?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Meiyue is a fan of Xu Shilan's. Before, when our class rehearsed, we always kept the doors locked so nobody from other classes could disturb us, and as class monitor it would've been untoward for me to open a back door and slip He Meiyue in. So to this day, He Meiyue has never had a face-to-face meeting with Xu Shilan..." Bai Weituo said. "So at tonight's dinner, could you bring Xu Shilan along? My treat!"

"I'll ask," Wei Zhao said, seeing Bai Weituo's hopeful look, and did not refuse. "But in that case, let's not have too many people—just our roommates and Xinyan's roommates. Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu might come too."

"That's wonderful!" Bai Weituo said. "Don't worry, it won't be a crowd. I'll text Meiyue right now!"

"Don't—hold on, let me ask Xu Shilan first," Wei Zhao said, waving a hand to cut short Bai Weituo's move.

"That works too..." Only then did Bai Weituo remember that Xu Shilan hadn't agreed yet. If he told He Meiyue first and Xu Shilan ended up not coming, he'd lose face terribly.

Wei Zhao dialed Xu Shilan's number. At that moment she should be resting backstage in the private lounge with Cheng Yiyi, accompanied by Feng Sanhuang—after all, both stars were guests of honor at the school, and it was hardly surprising that they each had a lounge to themselves.

"Wei Zhao," Xu Shilan answered quickly.

"Xiaohan, are you free tonight? Shall we grab dinner together?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Dinner tonight? Of course, no problem. Just the two of us?" Xu Shilan's heart suddenly skipped, and a faint anticipation crept up in her.

"The others from my dorm with Bai Weituo, and Xinyan's roommates too," Wei Zhao said. "Yaoyao and Xiaoshu may come as well."

"Oh..." Xu Shilan was slightly disappointed, though she kept her tone light. "Sure, sounds good!"

"Shijie, is Wei Zhao treating us to dinner?" Cheng Yiyi came over just then and asked.

"Yes. Oh, Yiyi, will you come?" Xu Shilan nodded and asked.

"Of course! Never mind Great Hero Lin treating us—even if he weren't, I'd want to treat him, to thank him for saving my life yesterday!" Cheng Yiyi said.

"Great!" Xu Shilan turned to Wei Zhao. "Wei Zhao, Yiyi wants to come too."

"Sure, the more the merrier—let's all go together!" Wei Zhao didn't mind one extra person.

After hanging up, Xu Shilan gave Cheng Yiyi a knowing look. "Yiyi, this isn't like you. Usually when someone invites you to dinner, you never go—not even Zhang Duopan, whose father has dealings with you, has managed to get you to his table, has he?"

"Heh heh, isn't this different? Great Hero Lin risked everything to protect us yesterday. If he's treating, of course I'm going!" Cheng Yiyi said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Of course?" Xu Shilan frowned, then gave Cheng Yiyi a teasing look. "Yiyi, don't tell me you've fallen for him? Saw Wei Zhao being so dashing yesterday and lost your heart at first sight?"

"Hmph, so what if I have?" Cheng Yiyi said carelessly. "Since ancient times, beauties have loved heroes—haven't you fallen for him too, Jiejie? I just think a man like Wei Zhao is a real man. If I could be his woman, how safe I'd feel!"

"Yiyi, are you serious?" Xu Shilan's eyes went wide.

"Of course I'm not! Haha!" Cheng Yiyi giggled. "I do admire him, but I haven't thought about dating yet. I've only just debuted, and I've always had a pure, innocent image—if I started seeing someone now, it would probably hurt me badly! You, though, Jiejie—you ought to have a boyfriend by now! Why don't you go out with Wei Zhao for a while, and when you've had your fun, hand him over to me..."

"Me? Cough, cough!" Xu Shilan nearly choked on Cheng Yiyi's words. "Fun? What fun? Fun my foot!"

"I was only joking... Jiejie, don't tell me your conscience is pricking you?" Cheng Yiyi looked at Xu Shilan with a grin. "What are you so nervous about?"