Part 67：I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.
Zoe kept pondering why He's attitude toward her had taken such a dramatic 180-degree turn.
No matter how she analyzed it, there was only one variable: the unexpected exposé today.
Perhaps He mistakenly believed that she was really dating Song. If that were the case, being "Song's girlfriend" had certainly shifted her perceived value in his eyes.
A starlet rumored to be dating Song and one confirmed to be Song's girlfriend were on completely different playing fields.
"Mr. He, I mean no offense, but if those photos taken by Lin—the reporter—caused any misunderstandings, let me clarify: Song and I are not a couple. We're not dating, and it's nothing like she implied," Zoe said with a laugh, waving her hand. "Please don't misunderstand."
He chuckled.
"Do you think what I just said to you was because of your supposed relationship with Song?"
Zoe shook her head. "I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea."
"Fair enough," He replied, spreading his hands in mock surrender. "But let's put that aside for now. Regarding this matter, we've already reached out to Song's side. A joint statement will be released soon."
"Okay," Zoe nodded. "Mr. He, do I need to stay here any longer?"
In truth, PR matters like this had little to do with her. Unlike many top stars who had their own teams, Zoe still relied on the company to handle issues for her. Their responsibility was to the company, not her, so her presence here served no practical purpose.
"Lan said you don't have any other work scheduled for now, so why not stay a bit longer? If something comes up, we can handle it promptly. You can rest in my office; no one will disturb you," He said.
Zoe smiled and waved him off. "I'd rather find somewhere else, Mr. He. Resting in your office puts too much pressure on me."
"Suit yourself," He said good-naturedly.
Outside, Hu was waiting for her. As soon as Zoe emerged, Hu approached and asked, "Xiao Yun, Lan said she had something to deal with and already left."
"Okay," Zoe replied, glancing back toward He.
He called for his assistant and instructed them to arrange a lounge for Zoe.
Once Zoe entered the room and the door closed behind her, she let out a long breath.
"Xiao Yun, what did Mr. He want to talk to you about?" Hu asked. "When Lan left earlier, she looked really upset."
"Really?" Zoe reclined on the sofa and covered her eyes with one hand. "I'm a bit tired. Let me nap for a bit."
Hu immediately got up. "I'll go see if they have a blanket."
"No need," Zoe said.
But Hu shook her head. "I can't let you catch a cold sleeping like this."
Her expression was so earnest that Zoe couldn't help but laugh. She motioned for Hu to sit down. "I'm just going to close my eyes for a moment, not sleep for hours."
"Xiao Yun, Lan told me your schedule is packed. You need to take care of your health," Hu insisted stubbornly.
Zoe sighed in defeat. "Fine, go ask. Oh, and get me an iced latte while you're at it."
"Got it!" Hu nodded and left quickly.
Zoe yawned.
She had been woken up early and had spent the morning on edge talking to He. Now that the tension had eased, exhaustion hit her all at once.
Picking up her phone, she checked social media.
As expected, her feed was flooded with discussions about how long she and Song had been secretly dating.
She almost wanted to post a reply: Not even a minute.
But she knew better. Doing so would only direct all the public outrage toward her.
In fact, Song's fans were already flooding her comment section with insults.
To them, she was the woman who had "stolen their boyfriend."
The relationship between a celebrity and their fans was inherently built on a delusional sense of possession and control.
Just then, a new message popped up on her screen.
When she saw the notification, her pupils constricted, and her expression froze.
It was from that unknown number, the one that had disappeared for a while but now resurfaced.
"I've been gone for a while, and you've already started dating someone? Naughty girl."
Zoe lightly bit her lip.
Fear mixed with fury coursed through her. Her entire body felt cold and numb.
The sound of the door opening snapped her out of her daze.
She looked toward the door, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who entered.
It was Ruoxue.
"Xue," Zoe greeted, caught off guard.
Ruoxue removed her sunglasses, shut the door behind her, and strode in, scanning Zoe from head to toe before letting out a chuckle.
"I thought you had principles. Turns out, you're just like everyone else."
Zoe frowned in confusion. "What do you mean, Xue?"
"Flirting with Lu while cozying up to Song? Impressive tactics. Why bother pretending to be innocent with me?" Ruoxue sneered.
Lu was another vice president at Chengqian Entertainment, and he had made it clear to Zoe before—if she agreed to spend the night with him, her career would skyrocket. His rejection of her was partly why she had faced so many obstacles, compounded by Ruoxue's deliberate suppression.
Zoe's face darkened at the accusation.
"Xue, you're a senior in this industry. Are you really going to believe baseless rumors without proof?" Zoe retorted.
Ruoxue smirked. "So, you're claiming to be clean and unrelated to either of them?"
"What makes you think I have anything to do with them?"
"How do you explain the photos online?" Ruoxue pressed.
"Explain what? Shouldn't the burden of proof fall on those spreading the rumors, not the accused?" Zoe shot back.
"Quick with the words, I see," Ruoxue said coldly.
Zoe stayed silent.
"Whether you admit it or not, let me remind you—using men to climb up is no real skill. Don't mistake the sweetness of the moment for permanence. Ice cream melts, after all."
"Thank you for the advice," Zoe replied calmly.
With that, Ruoxue turned and left without another word.
Zoe frowned deeply, lost in thought.
Ruoxue's sudden appearance and her accusations seemed random, but it didn't feel like her style. Ruoxue usually maintained her dignity and rarely involved herself directly.
So why had she stormed into Zoe's lounge today?