Chapter 22: Double Standards
Not only were the netizens in the livestream room shocked, but the trending topics #Xie Shibai and Lu Ciheng’s Way of Getting Along# and #Lu Ciheng, If You’ve Been Possessed, Just Say So!# overshadowed the premiere of Infinite Heartbeat itself, shooting straight to the top of the popularity charts.
Netizens who hadn’t had time to watch the livestream were confused when they first saw the trending search, but after clicking in and seeing the content, they were utterly astounded.
[Isn’t he a cool guy? Didn’t he trend before for those paparazzi photos where he looked cool, arrogant, and dragging? I remember actors who worked with him said his personality was very cold.]
[Cold? He looks like he can’t wait to lick Xie Shibai’s hand. You call this cold?]
[Previous interview videos were very clear. Lu Ciheng speaks very little; if a reporter asks one sentence, he answers with one sentence. He treats words like gold, and fellow cast members said he seemed hard to approach.]
[He’s been body-snatched, right…]
[Be serious, how is that possible?]
[XSB seems to accept it very well, which means he’s actually always been this way in private… Was the high-cold persona just an act before?]
[I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person in private!]
[I really thought he was a cool guy before…]
[If Lu Ciheng is simping, what do I have to be unbalanced about? I’ll go simp too!]
[There’s no need to learn this kind of thing…]
[Leaving aside their way of getting along, is this really not throwing himself at him?!]
[No, it doesn’t matter what his personality is in private, can he just not be a simp?]
[I’m convinced. Bro, you have the face of a scumbag, so why are you throwing yourself at him!]
[I won’t allow it! I can’t accept that my brother has this kind of personality ahhh!]
[Brother, if you are being threatened, just blink!]
The discussion on the trending search became increasingly skewed, shifting from suspecting Lu Ciheng was possessed, to refusing to allow him to be a simp, and finally, even conspiracy theories emerged.
[Could it be XSB making LCH do this?]
[Didn’t Director Tan say there are trainee couples? They definitely signed a contract to set up a persona.]
[I want to ask, are there any normal people left? Please, he is Lu Ciheng. How capable is Director Tan to make him set up a simp persona?]
[Exactly. Not to mention he’s on a variety show with his rival Xie Shibai. And he’s simping for Xie Shibai. Put yourself in his shoes, could you accept doing that to your enemy?]
[I’m fed up. You make it sound like Brother Xie is happy about it. He said many times to let go, but he wouldn’t listen. Lu fans are even spreading rumors that he’s being threatened. I think my brother is the one being threatened to date him.]
[Some fans really have their eyes blinded by pure doting.]
Almost all trending searches eventually devolved into fan wars. Lu Ciheng’s fans had suffered too much shock in one day. The fans of both sides were tired of arguing; it was nothing more than going back and forth between accusations of leeching popularity and throwing oneself at the other.
CP fans once again quietly raised their heads.
[Does anyone get it? (Shy)]
[I get it too well! I feel like they are truly god-tier!]
[Feels so suitable for that kind of forced love vibe.]
[If they sleep together, wouldn’t they be banging every day? With this mode of getting along, I feel like the bed would collapse.]
Only when the CP fans peeked out did the fans of the two families unite in an unprecedented manner.
[Holy crap, the cult fans are here again! Get lost and stay in your own circle!]
[My brother is totally unwilling to have contact with your family. Today’s livestream was so obvious, don’t ship blindly!]
The CP fans showed no weakness.
[But they will sleep together at night.]
[……]
[It’s normal for them to bang, right?]
[…They are trainee husbands!]
[Even trainee husbands have to be dating to get on the show.]
[Hehe, just love watching fans talk tough while their faves sleep together.]
Regardless of how fierce the argument on the trending search was, Xie Shibai in the shooting area had a headache like never before.
Although he had mentally prepared himself before deciding to go on the variety show, he really hadn’t expected there would be so many opportunities for contact.
Lu Ciheng’s persona transition had absolutely no transition period; the moment he opened his mouth, he didn’t even give his own fans time to adapt.
Xie Shibai always subconsciously retorted.
Only after speaking did he realize they were live streaming. If they continued with the same way of getting along as before, people would definitely discover they were in a contract marriage.
Xie Shibai looked at Lu Ciheng, who was clutching his ribs and pretending to cry out in pain pitifully.
…
He couldn’t hold back.
“No saving it, just wait for death.”
The netizens squatting in the livestream room were shocked. They didn’t expect Xie Shibai to be so blunt, without any taboo regarding the livestream camera.
[! Holy crap, holy crap!]
[Wait, are you two an antagonistic couple?]
Lu Ciheng chuckled low. “Teacher Xie, that’s too much. What will you do if I die?”
Desensitization therapy would be stranded.
[This brother is for real. He has a cool guy face but does simp things ahhh!]
[So jarring. How can he be like this in private!]
[Forget it, a silly sweet cool guy is okay too… It’s better than having a scumbag face and actually being a scumbag.]
Xie Shibai understood the meaning in Lu Ciheng’s words. The tail of his eyes lifted slightly, his tone indifferent. “Second marriage.”
[Holy crap, holy crap, is this something he can say?]
[No, saying second marriage so straightforwardly, sure enough, their feelings aren’t that good.]
[You can tell from how they get along. It’s only Lu Ciheng looking hot-headed and simping; Xie Shibai has been so cold the whole time.]
[Are they really married?! Aren’t they trainee husbands?!]
[It’s basic operation for actors. They definitely have to pretend.]
[Looking at their state, they don’t look like they could get married no matter how you look at it. Feels like they’ll break up soon.]
[Break up +1. Don’t know if they can last until the show ends.]
Lu Ciheng’s eyes darkened. Pressing against Xie Shibai’s back, shrouding the man entirely under his broad shadow, he questioned with paranoia, “Honey, who are you going to have a second marriage with? Is that person as good as me? As obedient as me? Will he be a puppy for you like I am—”
Just as the intonation of a certain word appeared, Xie Shibai subconsciously and swiftly raised his hand to cover Lu Ciheng’s mouth. His cold eyes glared at him. “Shut up.”
He felt that if certain words were spoken without restraint, the “social death” would be on a massive scale.
Not only would it trend, but unlike before where he could push it onto Lu Ciheng, netizens might decide it was some kind of kink between the two of them. It would be a social death so humiliating he couldn’t even hide his face, and with a very wide spread rate at that.
[??????]
[What! What did he say?!]
[Seems to be ‘puppy’ (Xiao gou)?]
[Puppy! Holy crap, holy crap!]
[Brother, you are truly confused!]
[No, it’s one thing for the internet to say you’re a simp, but are you really being a dog for Xie Shibai in private?]
[Who still says the CP I ship is fake? They are the most awesome!]
[CP fans get lost!]
Lu Ciheng’s black eyes showed a trace of surprise; he hadn’t expected Xie Shibai to directly cover his mouth. The touch against his face was slightly cool and smooth, emitting a faint fragrance. Even the breath he inhaled was Xie Shibai’s scent. His thin lips pressed against the soft palm touching him.
The inexhaustible fragrance made his heart race wildly. Lu Ciheng’s hand covered Xie Shibai’s hand. The black eyes beneath his black hair were translucent with excitement. He lowered his head slightly, and even though the air became thin during the contact, he didn’t let go.
Xie Shibai regretted it as soon as his hand covered the mouth; it was completely a subconscious action. Lu Ciheng’s body temperature was naturally on the higher side. His palm was swept by the other’s nasal breath, scorching hot. Meeting those pitch-black and bright eyes, he almost instantly realized that Lu Ciheng was getting excited again.
He used the momentum to push Lu Ciheng’s face away.
The sensation on his palm was too strong to ignore. He curled his fingers. Although this level of contact no longer caused severe physical anxiety, the burning heat on his palm still made him very uncomfortable.
The photographer beside them had practically worn out the shutter button, taking pictures excitedly without stopping. The cold light of the flash flickered, causing quite a shock to the netizens in the livestream room.
Xie Shibai withdrew his hand. He endured for a few seconds before interrupting the photographer who was still shooting. “Excuse me, I need to wash my hands.”
“Honey, are you going by yourself?” A brilliant smile appeared on Lu Ciheng’s face. “I’ll go with you.”
[Lu Ciheng didn’t lick Xie Shibai’s hand, did he…]
[Looking at him, he looks like he really wants to lick it.]
[Brother, are you really a simp? How could you ahhhh!]
[What? Someone surnamed Lu, how dare you!]
[Amazing ahhhh! Shipping this CP, this is the food I deserve to eat!]
[XSB went to wash his hands in disgust, and you guys can still ship it. Eat something good, will you? Although she’s a non-celebrity sister-in-law and can’t take the stage, Yu Rui’s couple is the one that’s truly easy to ship.]
When Xie Shibai returned from washing his hands, the two said something unknown to others. Lu Ciheng was rarely quiet as he stood aside watching Xie Shibai shoot. When the camera swept over, fans discovered that Lu Ciheng was intently taking photos of Xie Shibai.
Being quiet was just so he could take more photos.
[…There’s even a love-brain side to him?]
[Guaranteed. Since he’s a simp, how could he not be a love-brain?]
After both their solo shots were completed, they followed the director’s guidance to shoot the final group photo.
The other groups had arrived earlier than Xie Shibai and Lu Ciheng and had already greeted each other warmly.
Seeing the two enter, everyone introduced themselves enthusiastically.
Before the variety show, the production team had already made the guests public. Besides not having met offline, they could basically call out everyone’s names.
“I didn’t believe the trending search before, I didn’t expect you two to really come,” Yu Rui laughed. “My wife is a fan of you two and likes you very much. Can you give her an autograph?”
Wu Ke stood beside him, looking a bit cramped. Hearing this sentence, she glanced at Yu Rui a few times.
Hearing that someone liked both him and Xie Shibai at the same time, Lu Ciheng instantly became interested. “Of course.”
Xie Shibai didn’t object either. He observed attentively, wanting to see how other couples interacted, to learn more and pay attention so that he and Lu Ciheng wouldn’t be discovered later.
Yu Rui glanced at Wu Ke, signaling her to go get the autograph.
Wu Ke didn’t have paper or a pen with her, and she was surrounded by strangers, looking somewhat troubled.
Xie Shibai’s brow furrowed slightly. He felt the atmosphere between the two was strange.
Are real couples like this?
Lu Ciheng, on the other hand, was very understanding. Seeing the situation clearly, he asked the staff for paper and a pen. After both of them signed, he handed it to Wu Ke and smiled, “Here you go. Thank you for liking me and Teacher Xie.”
Wu Ke breathed a sigh of relief. After a simple thank you, she stood beside Yu Rui holding the signed paper, quiet as an accessory.
[This isn’t right, is it?]
[I felt it too. Why didn’t this amateur sister-in-law say anything? It was all Yu Rui talking.]
[She must be afraid. Looking at it makes me mad. Even asking for an autograph needs Brother Yu to speak up. She’s not a giant baby.]
[Right, not generous at all. Since she came on the variety show, just do it properly. No one is scolding her, why be so timid?]
After the simple pleasantries, the photographer was adjusting the positions for the group photo.
Xie Shibai had touched too many people’s hands during the introductions just now, so he went to the restroom to wash his hands during the break.
Lu Ciheng originally wanted to follow, but was stopped by a look from Xie Shibai. The indifferent gaze swept over him, meaning he should stay put honestly and not act like an elementary school student.
Rejected, Lu Ciheng lacked interest. He leaned back on the lounge chair, completely devoid of the playful, good-tempered appearance from before. When he wasn’t speaking, his cold face exuded a fierce energy.
Yu Rui took the initiative to greet Lu Ciheng. “Teacher Lu, long time no see.”
Lu Ciheng raised his eyes. His tone was flat and brief, giving absolutely no face. “We’ve met before?”
Yu Rui coughed lightly. He hadn’t expected Lu Ciheng to be so disrespectful, showing zero politeness in front of the camera, appearing like a completely different person from just a moment ago. “We met at Movie Night.”
Lu Ciheng stared in the direction Xie Shibai had left and replied perfunctorily, “Oh.”
After that simple response, he didn’t speak again. His indifferent appearance made it seem as if his previous enthusiasm was all fake. The aloof coldness was much more like his appearance on the trending searches of the past.
The netizens in the livestream room watched with question marks all over their heads.
[Who is this fierce brother?]
[Cool guy again????]
[Double standards are happening.]
[You weren’t like this just now!]
[No brother, you have two faces?]
[Good news: Lu Ciheng isn’t a simp anymore, he’s a cool guy. Bad news: Only to others.]
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