TFEDLAM 2

The leaked photos came in a batch of five or six, capturing the whole sequence from when they exited the VIP terminal to when they got in the car. Lu Tingchuan had one arm around Lu Xuan and the other hand tightly holding Xia Shi’s. The photo quality was shockingly clear—you could even see the overwhelming affection in their eyes when they looked at each other.

The post exploded.

Comment #42: Fans, stop trying to explain it away. “Just friends”? Since when do “ordinary friends” hold hands like that—fingers interlaced? And for the ones saying the kid might not be Lu Tingchuan’s—please, just compare their faces. Separate, maybe not obvious, but side-by-side? That kid is literally a mini Lu Tingchuan!

Comment #43: Exactly. A hidden marriage is still a hidden marriage. A lie is a lie. The way some of you are trying to defend him is just embarrassing.

…

Comment #57: Who’s defending anything? What hidden marriage, what lie? My idol never once claimed to be single. He’s said in so many interviews that he’s already “taken.” Are you all blind? Deaf? Did you miss that?

Xia Shi couldn’t help but laugh. It was true. In every interview, whenever someone asked, “When will you start dating?” or “When will you get married?” Lu Tingchuan always said:

“I already belong to someone.”

And if they pressed further with “Who is it?”, he will just flash a devilish grin and say nothing.

Only a handful of people in and out of the industry actually knew about their relationship. Most just thought he was being low-key or evasive when asked about his love life—no one took it seriously, especially not the fans.

But now, everyone is finally starting to realize…

He hadn’t been joking.

He truly meant every word.

Xia Shi flipped to the next page of comments and the tone shifted abruptly.

At first, the headlines were full of outrage, accusing Lu Tingchuan of hiding his marriage and lying to the public. But once fans started digging up things he’d said before, the anger quickly shifted—

At her.

And many of the attackers were clearly his own fans.

To them, she was a nobody. A woman who had been out of the industry for seven years, with nothing but her looks. In their eyes, there wasn’t a single thing about her that could possibly match their beloved idol.

And worse yet, there was the infamous “car crash scandal.”

Even though she had been the victim, people still used it as ammunition.

“She said she was drugged and ran out when something felt off—then just happened to get into a car crash? Yeah right. Sounds more like she was trying to sleep her way to the top and panicked when it went south. Drugged or not, who knows what she was really doing. Girls like her—decent looks, desperate to be famous—they’d do anything.”

“Exactly. Look at her now—clinging to the Movie King to climb the ladder. Can’t sing anymore, career’s over, so she goes after him? Where was this scheming side of her before? She’s clever, I’ll give her that.”

“Maybe she trapped him with the kid. Threatened him into staying.”

“Shut up. Our goddess was the victim, okay? That scumbag CEO of Shengshi Media—Guo the Bastard—was taken to court, and it was an open trial. There are videos. The evidence is there. Both Guo and that sleazebag Liang admitted guilt. They’re in prison. So don’t start with that ‘she forced him’ nonsense. Did she tie the Film Emperor to the bed or something?”

…

The ID of the commenter defending her was BloomLikeSummer, the same person who had posted “I waited for you, and I never gave up” earlier.

She was also the former president of Xia Shi’s national fan club.

Now, that club barely had ten people left but those few had stuck around through it all.

Knowing there were still people who stood by her made Xia Shi quietly emotional. However, there were too few of them. Their voices were soon drowned out.

The post was a mess—two-thirds full of insults directed at her. The rest was split between people criticizing Lu Tingchuan and those just watching the drama with popcorn in hand.

Lu Tingchuan slipped his arms around her from behind.

“Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to think about any of this.”

Xia Shi turned to hug him back.

“Do I look like the type who gets worked up over internet drama? You’re always telling me to let go of the past and look forward—but who’s really stuck, me or you?”

He paused, fingers trembling ever so slightly, then let out a small smile. Maybe he had been too paranoid.

This life… was already completely different from the last.

Thank god he had been given a second chance—to be reborn seven years ago and stand beside Xia Shi during her darkest hour, instead of missing those years.

As for the ones who had dragged them both into scandal and misery last time—Guo Zihua and Liang Mengmeng—they were already behind bars, thanks to the advantage of his “future knowledge.”

Lu Tingchuan pulled her tighter.

No. That past would never repeat itself. He wouldn’t let her get hurt again.

Xia Shi didn’t understand why Lu Tingchuan always got so nervous whenever the past came up. Like now, he held her so tightly, yet so carefully, as if he was afraid she might vanish.

She figured it was the trauma from the car crash. She’d been in a coma for so long, and maybe it had left a deeper scar on him than it had on her.

Her heart softened.

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” Trying to lighten the mood, she winked playfully. “Luckily, at least this firestorm didn’t touch Xuanxuan.”

Lu Tingchuan nodded solemnly. “They didn’t come for a five-year-old. Guess they have some conscience left.”

They both chuckled.

Xia Shi nudged him aside and grabbed her phone from the nightstand to make a call.

Moments later, a shriek exploded from the other end.

“Xia Shi, are you insane?! Look at the time! It’s 3 a.m. Three! In! The! Morning! Back when you lived overseas I gave you a pass, but now that you’re back in China, can you please stop wrecking my sleep schedule?”

Even when holding the phone a full arm’s length away, Xia Shi could still hear Sophie’s fury loud and clear. She cleared her throat and cut to the chase.

“I remember you telling me the Golden Wheat Awards sent me an invitation?”

Sophie rolled her eyes.

“They send you one every year and you always turn them down. You didn’t even go to the Grammy Awards—why would you go to—”

“I’m accepting it this time.”

Sophie choked.

“…What?”

“I said, I’m going. Help me respond.”

Before she could even process it, the call ended.

Sophie stared at her phone in disbelief. She pinched her face. Ouch. Not dreaming.

Has the sun risen in the west? She yanked the curtains open and peeked outside—nope, still pitch black.

Yeah. Xia Shi was definitely out of her mind.

Later, Lu Tingchuan said, “If you really don’t want to show your face, you don’t have to force yourself. I can handle it.”

Xia Shi looked at him, serious and resolute.

“I told you before—whatever happens, we face it together. We’ve decided to settle down here, right? That means sooner or later, I’ll have to face all of this. I’m ready.”

She flipped her hair the next moment, knelt on the bed like a queen, and gave Lu Tingchuan a playful smirk. With one finger under his chin, she gently lifted his face.

“So, you’d better be ready to stand proudly beside me.”

Seeing her switch into playful mode, Lu Tingchuan instantly went along with it, bowing his head exaggeratedly.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Xia Shi burst out laughing.

Then he asked, “Still planning to sleep?”

She rolled her eyes. “How could I after all that?”

Lu Tingchuan’s lips curved up, his eyes glinting.

Oh no, she thought. She knew that look.

Sure enough, he said, “Then… may I ask Her Majesty to grace me with her favor?”

Xia Shi groaned.

“No! I’m exhausted!”

He raised a brow.