Chapter 44: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Eroding Boundaries
The current situation was a bit beyond Dong Ling’s expectations. Seeing the screen filled with comments defending her by attacking her, Dong Ling felt a little distressed.
Dong Ling thought for a moment, instead of replying, she silently sent gifts.
In just a few minutes, Dong Ling had sent gifts worth thirty to forty thousand. Seeing such a generous fan supporting their idol, the attitude of some solo fans changed.
Since Dong Ling didn’t say anything more, the CP fans also quieted down and stopped arguing in the live stream chat.
Dong Ling saw that Song Mingzhi had finished eating and immediately closed the live stream page, then typed a message on her phone and held the screen up for Song Mingzhi to see.
She didn’t dare speak again, those CP fans were experts at finding and analyzing clues.
—What are we doing next?
“Is there anywhere you want to go?”
Song Mingzhi held the microphone again and asked Dong Ling.
She knew the game wasn’t over yet, it would last at least a few more hours. She had already explored most of the park while looking for the first two NPCs. If Dong Ling was interested in any of the rides, they could try them together.
“No, anywhere is fine.”
This was a children’s amusement park, Dong Ling couldn’t think of anything she was particularly interested in.
While the two of them chatted slowly, the viewers were going crazy.
[Is there anything I can’t see or hear? Cameraman, turn the camera!]
[I can only see half of Song Jie’s face, I can see her talking, but I can’t hear what she’s saying, so anxious!]
[Wuwuwu Cameraman, please, let me see CEO Dong’s beautiful face.]
[Is this a variety show disguised as a dating show? I wonder if Song Jie will deliberately lose so she can be last, hhhh.]
[A sugar daddy disguising herself to flirt with her canary on a variety show, I’m dead from the sweetness, guys, if this isn’t love!]
Song Mingzhi released the microphone, and the camera followed her as she left the restaurant.
Dong Ling put on her mask and walked beside the cameraman, trying her best to stay out of the shot.
[Hey, where’s CEO Dong? Don’t be shy! We don’t know who you are, you’re wearing a mask, what are you afraid of?!]
[@ProgramTeam, your third NPC has disappeared again, did she run away after being found?]
[If this was deliberately arranged by the production team, interrupting people’s date means you’ll be single!]
[dies laughing Everyone, go to Lu Yiyang’s live stream, there’s a shy miko sister hiding there.]
The viewers and CP fans, curious, flocked to another guest, Lu Yiyang’s, live stream.
Lu Yiyang was looking for his second NPC, his location was next to Song Mingzhi’s, and the camera happened to capture Song Mingzhi’s cameraman, and a certain miko hiding behind him.
[Hahahahahaha, dies laughing, sisters, I thought CEO Dong ran away, it turns out she’s hiding from us.]
[Shh, don’t talk nonsense, we don’t know any CEO Dong, we only know the miko sister.]
[We’re all family, why hide, CEO Dong, come out and play!]
[Hahaha, she looks so soft acting all shy, she also looked so soft holding Jiejie’s hand on the Rainbow Bridge, such a contrast to that domineering beauty that day, it’s even more exciting this way.]
[Where are the writers for this fresh sugar daddy x canary trope?]
[Replying to my lord, I’ve already sent an urgent message for the ladies to draw and write!]
Dong Ling, completely unaware that she had been exposed, followed Song Mingzhi, thinking she was well-hidden.
The children’s amusement park didn’t hold much appeal for Dong Ling, and neither did it for Song Mingzhi.
So she only pretended to be looking for the NPC, strolling and stopping, resting in shady areas.
“I’m a little tired from walking, let’s rest for a while, do you want to hear a story?”
Song Mingzhi said towards the camera, her gaze passing through the lens, meeting Dong Ling’s eyes, who was standing in that direction.
[23333 (lol) Were you really tired from walking?]
[Yes, yes, yes, pretending your wife isn’t here must be very tiring. [Cat emoji]]
[Let me translate Song Jie’s inner thoughts: My wife is tired from walking, I feel sorry for her, let’s rest together.]
[Yes, yes, yes! What story is Jiejie going to tell?]
[Jiejie is finally doing her job properly, no longer the emotionless secret agent from this morning.]
[Sitting nicely and listening to Jiejie tell a story.]
Dong Ling smiled and sat down in a shady spot.
Strangely, she and Song Mingzhi had this kind of unspoken understanding.
Perhaps to match the atmosphere of the children’s amusement park, Song Mingzhi told a fairy tale.
It was an immersive and beautiful story, with the dreamy quality unique to fairy tales, but coming from Song Mingzhi, it seemed to have a different flavor.
Even the wind was captivated, everything felt cool and refreshing.
Song Mingzhi wasn’t speaking directly to the camera, but rather looking dreamily in a certain direction, resting her head on her hand. Some people knew who she was looking at, and were already building houses and dancing in the CP super topic forum. (Celebrating their CP)
The game didn’t last long. Song Mingzhi stalled for time and finally said the slogan.
At the final stage, Dong Ling didn’t say anything, just took off the pouch from her waist and placed it in Song Mingzhi’s hand, like an ordinary staff member.
Song Mingzhi was the winner of this game. At the end, during the lucky draw, Tong Qing enviously praised her memory. Song Mingzhi smiled and brushed it off, her gaze drifting towards a certain direction.
Dong Ling, having changed back into her casual clothes, waved at Song Mingzhi and quickly fled the scene.
She didn’t want to be caught on camera again, she wasn’t wearing a mask now.
When the program aired, the related trending topics about them reached the lower ranks of the hot search list. Dong Ling had already instructed Zuo Zhen, so the popularity of the live stream incident was suppressed, and only Song Mingzhi’s memory was highlighted.
The Song Zhong sisters weren’t discouraged, but rather even more excited.
@PleaseSendMeOff: Hehe, CEO Dong is truly too shy, not even willing to take off her mask, secretly standing to the side, how could she let this trend? This further confirms that it’s CEO Dong herself.
@DeadFromShipping: Hahahaha, dies laughing, a sugar daddy secretly visiting the set is too cute! This can’t be explained unless they’re in the honeymoon phase!
@SweetToDeath: I just visited Song Jie’s biggest fan account, and found that they don’t know about that rich fan with the ID “Jieshi,” that person isn’t even in the super topic forum, so strange.
@PleaseSendMeOff: Maybe she’s a solitary fan who doesn’t like fandom culture, her words are truly unpleasant, and her ID even has something to do with our CEO Dong, how unlucky.
@SongZhongGettingMarriedToday: Excuse me, I even imagined that person being CEO Dong, afraid of affecting her wife’s career, so she stepped forward to dispel the CP fans, but it’s unlikely, judging from her tone, she’s probably Song Jie’s anti-fan.
Dong Ling didn’t know she had been discussed in the super topic forum, she went home to have dinner with her parents and put the matter out of her mind.
Song Mingzhi, after finishing filming, naturally noticed the unusual public opinion, now was the peak of her movie’s popularity and her own, and her and Dong Ling’s CP fans were also gathering, the current level of popularity wasn’t normal.
Song Mingzhi subtly questioned Zuo Zhen and learned the answer, thinking Dong Ling was truly thin-skinned, so she didn’t deliberately bring up the topic in front of the girl.
As more and more people watched the movie, its reputation gradually stabilized, and the box office continued to rise.
Dong Ling was elated, smiling at everyone, her family praised her repeatedly. Dong Ling had to stop her parents from bragging, or they would definitely organize a party to celebrate.
Dong Ling’s good mood came to an abrupt end when she received a call from He Diesheng. It wasn’t anything bad, it was just that Dong Ling instinctively felt uneasy when dealing with these two sisters.
He Diesheng invited her out for a drink that night. Dong Ling originally wanted to refuse, but hearing He Diesheng say that the situation might change soon, she changed her mind.
He Diesheng liked to speak in riddles, and this habit had only worsened after eight years. Dong Ling hadn’t heard any news, so to find out, she felt she had to go.
The place He Diesheng chose was called Mi Tang, a quiet place amidst the bustling city. Dong Ling had walked past this street many times without noticing this small tavern.
The drinks in the tavern were all high-quality, but Dong Ling didn’t come for the drinks, she was waiting for He Diesheng to speak.
“It’s good that you were willing to come out for a drink with me, otherwise I might have to drink alone today.”
He Diesheng smiled and clinked glasses with Dong Ling, a melancholic look on her face.
“Don’t say that, you’re not short of friends? As long as you’re willing, Miss Li and Mr. Chen would definitely be happy to come.”
Dong Ling said with a smile. Although she didn’t want to get involved in the matters between He Diesheng and Xuan Du, just like she told Song Mingzhi, He Diesheng might very well use her.
Since she had such concerns, how could she not be on guard and investigate?
He Diesheng had only been back for a few days, and she had already connected with Miss Li and the second young master of the Chen family, riding horses, playing ball, and drinking together. She didn’t seem to be up to anything, but Dong Ling knew she wouldn’t do anything pointless.
“New friends aren’t the same as old friends, there are some things I can only tell you.”
He Diesheng’s expression was calm, with no sign of embarrassment from being seen through or anger from being investigated.
“After I returned home, A Du threw a tantrum, just like when she used to rely on her connections to act arrogantly.”
He Diesheng’s words were barbed, it was unclear whether she was referring to Xuan Du’s mother or Mayor He.
“But the current situation doesn’t allow her to act up. The inspection team from Jingzhou is here on a secret visit, and they didn’t come for no reason, you must not have heard any news, since it was not related to you and there was no way you could find out. But in this game of chess, one move affects the whole board, she has to hold back, it’s quite amusing.”
Dong Ling listened to her with a calm expression, not responding.
He Diesheng didn’t seem to expect her to say anything and continued: “I told her, ‘Suddenly dreaming of the past in the deep of night, only dreaming of idle days, not of you,’ guess how she reacted?”
Dong Ling raised an eyebrow, still not responding.
He Diesheng finished the wine in her glass and said with a smile: “She didn’t know it wasn’t a complete poem, she said I was being sarcastic and threatened me.”
“But I wasn’t lying, I was crazy for a few years, I dreamed of everything, but never of her, so after I woke up, I thought about her every day.”
He Diesheng’s expression was calm, but a coldness was hidden within. Her fingers, gripping the wine glass, were so tight they turned white, then, just as the glass was about to shatter, she loosened her grip.
“She doesn’t understand the bond between Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi, anyway, you two aren’t like that.”
Dong Ling had a bad feeling, but she didn’t know where it came from. (Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi were famous poets and close friends.)
He Diesheng didn’t comment, pouring herself another drink.
The drinking session didn’t last long, most of the time they drank in silence, with He Diesheng occasionally saying a few words.
“The matter originated in Jingzhou, but Beihai, Qingzhou, and Haicheng are all affected, things are unsettled recently, it’s best for your family to stay away from certain things.”
Dong Ling asked: “Does Mayor He know?”
He Diesheng smiled slyly: “Guess?”
Dong Ling looked at her without answering, and the drinking session ended.
Dong Ling went home with a troubled mind. Halfway there, the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes.
Dong Ling lurched forward, and just as she frowned and was about to ask what was happening, she saw a woman get off a motorcycle aggressively, the woman took off her helmet, revealing a hostile face.
“Are you crazy? Stopping a car in the middle of the road?”
“That bitch He Diesheng went drinking with you, what did she tell you?”
When it came to putting on a show, Xuan Du was no match for He Diesheng.
Dong Ling was tipsy and said listlessly: “Nothing.”
“I don’t believe you, she specifically asked you out for a drink, and in such a secluded place, how could she not have said anything? Dong Ling, you know about the past, you can’t side with her and gang up on me.”
Xuan Du’s tone was anxious, her emotions always unstable when it came to He Diesheng.
“I won’t do anything to you if you don’t do anything bad, as for her, she didn’t tell me anything.”
“It’s just a small-time actress, why are you so worked up?”
Dong Ling didn’t want to talk to her and said to the driver: “Ignore her, keep driving.”
“We’re not done talking yet, where are you going?!”
Xuan Du slapped the car window, as if ready to stop the car again.
“I’m going to sleep with your ‘small-time actress,’ do you want to come watch us make love?”
Dong Ling, recalling Xuan Du’s ridiculous expression when she thought she was playing around with women, said without hesitation.
[Task: Successfully stay the night at the female lead’s house. Completing this task will reward 3% progress.]
The sudden mechanical voice in her mind startled Dong Ling.
Hearing the task clearly, Dong Ling breathed a sigh of relief, she almost thought it was “Successfully have sex with the female lead,” thank goodness.
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