Chapter 84 - birthday surprise

“I understand.” Song Nian took back the contract and stood up from the sofa. When she looked up again, she regained the confidence of an actress and smiled, “I struggled for a long time before I came here today. .But I don’t regret it either.”

After Song Nian left, Zhou Ziheng immediately called Jiang Yin.

“Sister-in-law, help me check Song Nian’s team. I want to know which investors they are contacting now.” Thinking of what Song Nian said before, Zhou Ziheng said again, “Also, if there is any recent media exposure about Xia Xiqing’s private life Please help me with public relations.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Xiqing pushed the door open and came in, “Why is Ronaldinho standing outside…”

Seeing this, Zhou Ziheng hung up the phone.

“When did you buy these food?” Xia Xiqing sat down, cut a small piece of cake with a fork and stuffed it into his mouth, “I’m really hungry.”

Zhou Ziheng smiled and sat next to him, without saying anything, silently took his left hand.

The two rested in the lounge for a while before preparing to leave from the TV station. Xia Xiqing’s cell phone rang again, he hung up, turned to Zhou Ziheng and said, “I have something very important to deal with, you should go home first.”

Zhou Ziheng nodded, his mind was full of what Song Nian said before, if he stayed with Xia Xiqing in his state, he would definitely find out something.

“Exactly, I have to go to the company too.”

The two of them split up like this. A large group of fans gathered downstairs at the TV station, finally looking forward to the idol’s appearance, but Zhou Ziheng was the only one.

“Why did Hengheng come down alone?”

“Yeah, where’s brother Xi Qing?”

Zhou Ziheng smiled and got into the car, “Brother Xi Qing left earlier.” The car door closed, and he waved inside as a farewell to the fans.

After returning to the company, Zhou Ziheng went straight to Jiang Yin’s office. Jiang Yin, who had just finished the conference call, came back from the conference room and saw Zhou Ziheng, and she knew the seriousness of the situation in her heart.

“Since Song Nian said that, she must have heard some rumors.” Zhou Ziheng sorted out his thoughts, “She has no background, and there are not many previous film appointments, which means that at least Song Nian did not have any financial backers before this. , or her benefactor is not very capable.”

He looked at Jiang Yin, “You have people in many media outlets, but you didn’t even get wind of the breaking news that exposed the sexual orientation of popular actors, but Song Nian did.”

Jiang Yin crossed her fingers under her chin, “What if she is lying?”

“I thought about this when she said it. Firstly, she was very sincere when she expressed it, and secondly, he really didn’t need it.” Zhou Ziheng breathed a sigh of relief, “If she just wants to take advantage of the relationship between me and Xia Xiqing If you want to cheat me to become a contract couple, you can directly threaten it, and this approach is too unsafe. If I sign a contract with her, but there will be no news of the same **** in the future, what she said will be automatically exposed. Few people do such stupid things.”

“So,” Zhou Ziheng expressed his conjecture, “I think the only reasonable possibility of Song Nian’s tip-off is that the person who attempted to create the riot was the same person who attempted to keep Song Nian. Song Nian should He accidentally learned the news at a dinner party or some other occasion, and then came to tell me.”

Although she knew that her brother-in-law was smart, Jiang Yin was still a little surprised this time. He originally thought that Zhou Ziheng would be overwhelmed by his emotions when he met Xia Xiqing, which was what she was worried about all the time, but his careful thinking made Jiang Yin have to admit that he really underestimated Zhou Ziheng.

“I will find someone to investigate this, but if it is true what Song Nian said, there will be movement in the next two days, and it may be too late for my investigation.”

Zhou Ziheng frowned and thought about it, and was silent for a few seconds before speaking, “I have an idea.”

“you say.”

“When things happen artificially, there are always his reasonable motives. If a reporter took any photos of me and Xia Xiqing, they released them for profit, so before they actually leaked the photos and videos, they will definitely contact the person concerned. If the person concerned is willing to spend By buying these evidences at a high price, their purpose will be achieved. But now no one is contacting you.”

“It means that the media didn’t discover this matter first.” Jiang Yin quickly understood Zhou Ziheng’s meaning, “If the media actually captured something, they should contact us immediately instead of giving it to other financial backers. Investors, so…”

Zhou Ziheng said firmly, “So nothing was photographed by the media at all, it was just someone who knew the inside story who was obstructing it.”

The scope was shortened all of a sudden, and Zhou Ziheng had almost settled on the suspect who caused the disturbance in his mind.

“Wei Min is a scumbag, he will never repent.” Zhou Ziheng clenched his fists tightly, “I should have killed him in the first place.”

“Don’t act rashly.” Jiang Yin thought about the way out, “If the matter is the same as our analysis, the media should not have photographed you and Xia Xiqing’s actual hammer, so it will be easy to handle. I will go to investigate Wei now Does Min have anything to do with Song Nian’s team recently?” After speaking, Jiang Yin started calling one by one.

When thinking again, Zhou Ziheng hesitated again, if Wei Min was really behind the scenes, how dare he touch himself.

For a moment, Song Nian’s words surfaced again.

[You are the second son of the Zhou family and no one dares to touch you, but have you ever thought about Xia Xiqing? In the entertainment circle, being rich is nothing, and only the powerful have the golden bell. ]

Jiang Yin has been in the circle for too many years, and has too many eyeliners to count.

“Don’t worry, you help me this time, if you want to find me next time, I, Jiang Yin, will never shirk.” Seeing her sister-in-law hang up the phone with a smile, the smile on her face instantly changed to a cold one. Zhou Ziheng also understood the expression.

“Wei Min really wanted to keep Song Nian recently, she didn’t lie.”

After hearing Jiang Yin’s words, Zhou Ziheng stood up directly.

“You are not allowed to go to him now.” Jiang Yin sternly yelled, “Since Wei Min dared to mess with you, he must be prepared. He must have held grudges for a long time when you beat him last time. Reporter, if you provoke me again, you will be the one making the headlines.”

“I didn’t want to find him.” Zhou Ziheng turned around, “I want to find Xia Xiqing.”

Jiang Yin sighed, “Xia Xiqing is troublesome here. Although he is Xia Yunkai’s son, online public opinion can’t be suppressed by money, and sometimes power can’t be suppressed.”

Zhou Ziheng didn’t speak, his mind was full of countermeasures.

“I will contact Wei Min on your behalf to see if he has any compromise conditions.”

Zhou Ziheng felt disgusted at the thought of compromising with someone like Wei Min. But he didn’t want Xia Xiqing to be hurt even more.

After a long silence, Zhou Ziheng said thank you softly, and left Jiang Yin’s office.

It was already eleven o’clock in the evening when I got home, Zhou Ziheng rang the doorbell on the opposite door, but no one responded, and only when I turned on my phone did I find that I had received a message from Xia Xiqing.

[Little Rose: I have very important things to do today, and I may be back very late, so go to bed first, isn’t there still commercial shooting tomorrow. Good night. ]

On weekdays, Zhou Ziheng didn’t bother with Xia Xiqing’s work much, but recently he seemed to be busy and was often away from home.

His birthday was about to be celebrated. In the past, Zhou Ziheng would be called back to Xishan by his parents as long as he was not on the set, but this was his first birthday after being with Xia Xiqing. Zhou Ziheng wanted to spend it with him no matter what.

Unknowingly fell asleep and fell into a deep dream.

In the dream, Xia Xiqing walked towards him pushing a huge cake.

He put his arms around his neck as before, smiled mischievously, and kissed him.

This dream was too real, and Zhou Ziheng, who was immersed in the dream, could almost feel the touch of the kiss, long and moist, with the familiar fragrance of Xia Xiqing.

“Why do you sleep so deeply…”

Zhou Ziheng frowned and opened his eyes with difficulty, and saw Xia Xiqing’s beautiful peach blossom eyes.

“Are you awake?” Xia Xiqing, who was lying on his body, smiled like a successful little fox, lowered his head and kissed his lips vigorously, “What dream did you have, you don’t want to wake up so much?”

Zhou Ziheng rubbed his eyes, put his arms around Xia Xiqing’s waist, and buried his head in his neck, “I dreamed of you.” Xia Xiqing was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and the scent of the perfume on his body showed a warm base.

He didn’t come back all night.

“Why are you acting like a child?” Xia Xiqing touched the top of Zhou Ziheng’s head, then turned over and fell asleep next to Zhou Ziheng, and sighed wearily, “I’m so tired, give me a hug.”

Zhou Ziheng took him into his arms and rubbed Xia Xiqing’s hair. The two of them didn’t say anything, and each put their thoughts into the warm quilt.

Xia Xiqing’s breathing gradually calmed down, Zhou Ziheng let go of him lightly, lay on his side and stared at him quietly, as if staring at his most cherished artwork.

He thought that there would be some movement from Wei Min, and Zhou Ziheng was a little restless during the filming of the commercial, but what he didn’t expect was that he waited all day, and there was no disturbance on the Internet, which was too calm. Various fan postscripts and videos of the previously recorded programs are spreading wildly on the Internet. In addition, Zhou Ziheng’s birthday is approaching recently, and the enthusiasm for self-study CP on the Internet remains high.

Zhou Ziheng returned home after the filming of the commercial, and found that Xia Xiqing was still not at home. I made a phone call and heard that the other end seemed to be quite busy.

“Okay, I’ll be there right away.” Xia Xiqing leaned closer to the microphone again, “Zi Heng, I may not be able to go back tonight, you should rest first.”

“That…”

Are you coming back tomorrow?

Xia Xiqing on the other end of the phone seemed to be very busy, half covering the phone, “Don’t put this here, wait a minute, you guys wait a while.”

After all, I still can’t ask, I don’t want to be as willful as a child.

“You should be busy.” Zhou Ziheng said with a smile, “Don’t suffer too much, you must call me if you have anything to do.”

The phone hung up so quickly that even Xia Xiqing on the other end was stunned.

At twelve o’clock in the morning, many artists and directors who had worked with before sent birthday congratulations on Weibo. Zhou Ziheng was not in the mood to reply, so he covered his head with a quilt and pretended that he was not online.

A sleepless night. Early the next morning, Xiao Luo brought his father’s driver over to pick him up. Zhou Ziheng had no choice but to get in the car.

“My wife said that I cooked a big table of dishes for you.” The driver was in good spirits, chatting with Zhou Ziheng when starting the car, “The young master will be back later.”

“Isn’t he in America?” Zhou Ziheng looked out the window, absent-minded.

“The plane landed at three o’clock, and I will pick it up then.”

Birthdays should be celebrated with the whole family with parents, and Zhou Ziheng has always been a filial child, but now he is thinking of Xia Xiqing, and he is really not in the mood to celebrate. Anyway, let him know.

Opening WeChat, there was still no movement on Xia Xiqing’s message board. Zhou Ziheng thought about his wording and edited a few words.

[I’m going back to my dad’s birthday today, you…]

He deleted one word at a time and typed a new line.

[I might have to go back to my dad today, not at the apartment, not necessarily back tonight. ]

I still want to ask a few more words, but my heart is so blocked that even my fingers become sluggish.

“Why such a big truck?” Ronaldinho lowered the window, “Is someone moving?”

The driver also honked the horn, causing Zhou Ziheng to look up as well.

“Hey, hurry up and drive quickly, don’t block this door.” The driver rolled down the window and said a few words towards the other side, and the other party bowed again and again, “Go now, go now.”

Through the car window, Zhou Ziheng vaguely saw that there seemed to be many picture frames in the container with the door closed.

He opened the window and saw a man’s face vaguely in the painting.

My heart suddenly panicked, as if struck by lightning without warning.

Could it be that Xia Xiqing wants to move out? What he has been busy these days is moving?

Knowing that it’s not good to think wildly like this, Zhou Ziheng just couldn’t control himself. After entering the tunnel, the heavy shadow that had been brewing for too long in the narrow corridor suddenly covered Zhou Ziheng’s face, it was dark and oppressive, without light. He was thinking of a way out for Xia Xiqing and his own affairs every day, but he ignored an important point.

Is Xia Xiqing like him?

It was because he took himself too seriously. Xia Xiqing had already said that he was just on probation. The love during the probationary period can be abandoned at any time, only you are so serious.

Passing through the tunnel, the autumn sun, which lacks heat, appears again, illuminating every corner of this narrow space. Zhou Ziheng sent out the message that had been edited several times, and the phone turned off automatically when it ran out of power.

God willing. Zhou Ziheng pressed down the brim of his hat, and no one wanted to talk to him.

Back home, Zhou Ziheng reluctantly pretended to be happy and smiled at the dinner table. His mother kept asking him about his filming in other places. Zhou Zijing and Jiang Yin didn’t come back until dinner time.

Jiang Yin took off her coat and handed it to the servant. After saying hello to her parents, she walked to Zhou Ziheng’s side, and said in a low voice, “Xia Xiqing just said that you didn’t answer his phone, so I turned off the phone even if I called you.”

“I forgot to charge it,” Zhou Ziheng charged the phone at this time, and when he heard Jiang Yin say Xia Xiqing just now, he felt a little resurgence in his mind, “What did he say?”

“I didn’t say anything. Just let me tell you and call him back when I have time.” Jiang Yin forked a small piece of cantaloupe from the fruit plate on the coffee table and stuffed it into her mouth. She took out her mobile phone and lowered her head halfway. He said casually, “He seems to be very busy, so he couldn’t speak clearly on the phone.”

Zhou Ziheng hummed and waited for the phone to turn on.

As soon as the screen turned on, before he had time to call him back, Jiang Yin, who was sitting beside her, said, “That’s bad.”

“What’s the matter?” Zhou Ziheng turned his face sideways and saw that Jiang Yin had stood up, “Sister Hong, help me get my coat.” She lowered her head and shook her head at Zhou Ziheng, “I thought Wei Min hadn’t seen you in the past two days. The movement is to give up, really, really did not expect.”

Zhou Ziheng was awakened by Jiang Yin’s words, and he immediately logged on to Weibo. The first article on the hot search list was written with a line of words.

[Internet celebrity Xiaoxianrou with the surname X is suspected of being gay]

The first weibo post I clicked on was a marketing account. The content of the text did not name names, but every sentence could correspond to Xia Xiqing.

[@八口头条: Now the most popular pair of male and female CPs in the entertainment circle – the popular fried chicken actor X became famous overnight as an “artist” can be said to be a household name, and the traffic is enviable, but according to insiders, this X is surnamed Xiao Xian Meat itself is **** and has had many same-sex couples. I don’t know how the other male star who hyped CP with him would feel about this matter? ]

Zhou Ziheng clenched his fists tightly, his joints turned white.

“I’m going back to the company right now, I’ll take care of this matter,” Jiang Yin hurriedly put on her coat, “Zhou Ziheng, you are not allowed to go anywhere, just wait for me at home.”

Xi Hui arrived at the new site of Pulito Art Museum by car. This art museum was originally a four-storey garden house, which was bought by Xia Xiqing and designed by himself as Pulito’s new venue.

“Why are there so many people?” Although he had already estimated the scene on the opening day of the art museum, Xi Hui became suspicious when he saw the reporters hustling outside the car window, and told the driver, “Go down and inquire. what happened.”

“yes.”

As soon as the driver left, Xi Hui called Xia Xiqing, but the other party was still on the phone and could not be connected.

Not long after, the driver came back, “President Xi, there are entertainment reporters outside, it seems…it seems to be because of Master Xia’s private life…”

Xi Hui frowned.

“Unbelievable.” He sighed, and dialed another person’s phone number, “Bring a group of people over, and I’ll give you the address.”

Xia Xiqing never expected that his opening dinner would be surrounded by a large group of reporters just half an hour after it started. He didn’t even know why these reporters came, until his assistant showed him the hot discussion on the Internet.

The Weibo post that exposed her sexual orientation has been forwarded more than 20,000 times.

Seeing that all the guests were talking about it because of the turmoil outside, Xia Xiqing was puzzled, but he also tried to put on a calm attitude, straightened his suit and tie, took the microphone from the master of ceremonies, and stood in the hall on the first floor. He said in front of the collection, “Everyone must be wondering why there are so many reporters outside.”

Xia Xiqing had a gentle gentleman’s smile on his face, “This art museum has been opened here for fifteen years, and I personally participated in every detail in the museum, including the selection of guests, so everyone who is here today, They are all art masters and collectors in my mind, and they are people I respect very much.”

“The charm of art comes from inclusive freedom and emotional resonance. I have always been adhering to these two points in my creation, so here, I also want to explain to you that, like many famous people in the art world, I am also an LGBT member. member.”

Looking at the comments of the guests below, Xia Xiqing raised his eyebrows, “I thought that at least one’s sexual orientation would not be severely criticized in the art world, didn’t it?”

As soon as this remark came out, the venue suddenly fell silent. Once the big hat was buckled, no one dared to say a word. “, “not free” charges.

“Thank you for your understanding and respect. Then please continue to visit the museum. The first, second and third floors are open, and the fourth floor has not yet been completed. The staff will guide you. Please enjoy yourself.” Xia Xiqing smiled impeccably, and said After saying “enjoy”, he returned the microphone to the staff.

“You are not allowed on the fourth floor. If anyone makes trouble, please get out immediately.” Xia Xiqing ordered a few words, picked up a glass of champagne and drank it down.

The current situation can still be controlled, but if Zhou Ziheng comes, it will be over.

Xia Xiqing took out an invitation card that could not be delivered from the inner pocket of his suit, looked at it, and put it back.

“Call Zhou Ziheng’s assistant and tell him to keep an eye on Zhou Ziheng and don’t come looking for me.”

In this kind of situation, public relations is a dead end. Xia Xiqing knows that Jiang Yin must be helping him with public relations now, but if he just suppresses hot searches and related revelations, it will only backfire.

As the sky gradually darkened, a voice suddenly came from outside. Xia Xiqing, who was standing at the French window on the second floor, looked down. A group of people in bodyguard uniforms drove away the reporters outside the door. From a distance, he saw Xi Hui’s car.

Xia Xiqing was so annoyed that the originally well-planned opening ceremony was disturbed like this. His anger was like a tide, and when the tide ebbed, he was enveloped by a huge sense of loss.

As the night approached, the guests left one after another, and even the staff left after get off work. Xia Xiqing just sat at the door on the fourth floor, smoking one cigarette after another.

He wasn’t worried about his sexual orientation being exposed at all. According to his previous style, these things would be exposed sooner or later, but he didn’t want to implicate Zhou Ziheng, and he didn’t want to be exposed on this day.

He smoked a pack of cigarettes on his body, Xia Xiqing looked down at his watch.

Ten to twelve.

He has never been so lost before.

Walking down the steps step by step, Xia Xiqing finally understood the feeling of loving someone. It’s not the boundless sweetness when you are surrounded by love, but the moment when you find that everything you have done for him has been in vain.

The empty art museum is full of collections, priceless and precious, but in his eyes, they are just inanimate objects piled up in this magnificent building.

He turned around, closed the door, and was about to put an end to the day where his stupidity and persistence lay, but suddenly a voice came from behind him.

“Xi Qing.”

Xia Xiqing turned around in disbelief, and saw a panting man who had just got off a taxi. He was wearing a hat and a mask to completely cover himself.

“Ziheng? You, why are you here?” With lingering fears in his heart, he pulled Zhou Ziheng into the art gallery. Zhou Ziheng took off his mask, smiled, and explained pantingly, “I, I was locked up at home by my brother. Looking for an opportunity to sneak out over the wall, I went back to the apartment, you, you are not there, I saw this place on the news, and I wanted to try it out to see if you were here.”

Looking at the thin sweat on his forehead, Xia Xiqing suddenly seemed to have lost his ability to speak, unable to speak a word. He glanced back at the antique clock hanging in the hall.

The pointer has not rotated to the end point.

Fortunately, there is still time.

Grasping Zhou Ziheng’s wrist, Xia Xiqing dragged him all the way up to the fourth floor and opened the door to the fourth floor. Zhou Ziheng was full of doubts, but he still noticed the cigarette butts on the ground.

“What are you pulling me up for?”

Xia Xiqing opened the door on the fourth floor.

“Happy birthday.”

The moment the door was fully opened, Zhou Ziheng was stunned. There are countless large and small paintings on display on the entire floor, whether they are watercolors or oil paintings, the only thing in common is the people in the paintings.

Each picture is its own.

“This is what I drew for you. There are ninety-nine pictures in total. From when you were young to now, fortunately you are a child star, otherwise I really couldn’t record what you have always looked like.”

Zhou Ziheng couldn’t help but think of Xia Xiqing pointing at the gun on his chest the night he took him to the shooting range, and his temporary jokes.

[Buy all the paintings that Xia Xiqing painted for me, and bring them to my funeral. ]

Xia Xiqing walked forward alone, and stopped in front of an exhibit taller than him. It was covered with a layer of black silk, and there was a delicate light under the bright crystal lamp.

“This is also made for you.” Xia Xiqing raised his hand and gently tore off the silk.

In front of him, there appeared an extremely white plaster sculpture. It was a tall man with a face facing forward, as if he was looking at something, and a smile appeared on his three-dimensional facial features, as beautiful as ancient Greek classical sculptures.

He held a rose in his hand, tender and full of strength.

“Happy birthday.” Xia Xiqing walked towards him, “Sorry, I messed up your birthday.” He finally walked up to Zhou Ziheng, and took out a dark blue invitation card from his suit pocket. The poke is a rose.

“I stayed up all night for several nights. I thought about inviting you today and handing this over to you, but I didn’t expect you to be away, and… these things happened again.” Xia Xiqing lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly, ” Happy birthday. My surprise sucks.”

It turned out that he had not forgotten his birthday.

“I deliberately chose to open today. This art gallery is named after me by my mother. I, I want him to be reborn on your birthday.”

At the last second on October 20th, he got his most wanted gift.

Zhou Ziheng opened the late invitation in a daze, and a handwritten letter fell out of it.

[I give you the core of myself that I have tried to preserve—the core that does not make sentences with words, that does not trade with dreams, that is untouched by time, joy, and adversity.

I offer you the memory of a yellow rose I saw one evening many years before you were born.

I give you interpretations of your life, theories about yourself, your true and amazing existence.

I give you my loneliness, my darkness, the hunger of my heart.

I try to impress you with confusion, danger, failure. ]

The author has something to say: The poem on the handwritten letter is excerpted from Borges’ “What Can I Use to Keep You”