Chapter 5: Don't Assume We're Close Just Because We Got Married

There was a jacuzzi in the bathroom but Shen Qingzhi didn't use it. She quickly took a shower instead.

She unfolded the cotton pajamas that seemed tailor-made and prepared to change into them.

However, when she touched the silky undergarment inside, her face already flushed with anger turned even redder.

She performed a short solo act in her mind while alone in the bathroom, and eventually changed into a fresh outfit.

The undergarment was comfortable and carried a hint of gardenia fragrance.

She quickly returned to the living room, only to find it empty.

The sound of dripping water nearby indicated that the homeowner wouldn't be coming out for a while.

At that moment, a phone call came in from home, inquiring about her blind date.

As luck would have it, Shen Qingzhi pondered for a moment and chose a moderately positive expression, "It's going smoothly."

"That's good, that's good. If things go well, spend more time with the person and don't rush home."

Madam Shen sounded satisfied on the other end of the phone, as if she could immediately pass on a burden.

Shen Qingzhi held her phone, momentarily speechless. Was this still the same tigress who once said: 'If you dare to date early, I'll break your legs'?

At least this spared her from having to come up with another excuse for not returning home.

After exchanging a few casual words, the mother and daughter ended their conversation. Shen Qingzhi found herself with nothing to do, so she casually opened her phone and started browsing the internet.

She opened Sina Weibo and the top hot search was #Shen Qingzhi Insults Senior on Recording Set#.

Bad news travels fast. It seemed that her insignificant incident during the recording session couldn't stay hidden for a moment.

This hot search had been fermenting for quite some time, with thousands of discussions and comments.

Shen Qingzhi clicked on it, as if she was watching someone else's drama.

The description in the trending topic made it seem like the poster was present at the scene, vividly depicting how arrogant and disrespectful Shen Qingzhi was towards the senior, and how she had made him dizzy with anger.

Not only were the details accurately portrayed, but there was also a touch of genuine emotion in the rendering.

In an instant, an image of an uncultured and unprofessional actress emerged online, perfectly fitting the general impression that most netizens had of Shen Qingzhi.

Gossip is a natural instinct for many people, and negative news tends to ignite the desire for discussion even more. The number of discussions under this hot search was visibly increasing at a rapid pace.

[Ha, it's Shen Qingzhi again. I wouldn't be surprised by anything she does now.]

[She's got it all: scandalous relationships, feuds with seniors, and unprofessional behavior. She's a complete package of negativity.]

[I've heard that she even broke a fellow actor's bones on set. How did someone like her enter the entertainment industry?]

[I've heard that too. She has a terrible temper, and many staff members have been left in tears because of her verbal abuse.]

[Where did you guys hear these things? Do you have any evidence?]

[There's no evidence for such things. It's not surprising that someone like her could do these things.]

[Exactly! If it were someone else, I might have doubts, but with Shen Qingzhi, anything outrageous is considered normal.]

Shen Qingzhi scrolled through the messages with a single hand, enjoying the spectacle as if she was watching someone else's entertainment.

After all, those rumors and accusations were about someone who shared her name but were completely unknown to her. It was like observing a stranger with the same name and surname.

However, not all the comments below were derogatory. There were quite a few fans who were fervently defending her.

[Spreading rumors is illegal. I have met her in person, and she treats people very well. I remember she even paid for drinks for everyone.]

[I've also met Shen Qingzhi in person, and she's not as terrible as you guys are saying. She is dedicated and serious during work.]

[Fans in the previous comments, stop washing your hands of this. One or two people might spread rumors, but when everyone is saying the same thing, could they all be wrong?]

[You only like her because of her face. For someone like her, you're willing to abandon your critical thinking and values.]

[Exactly! What kind of values can you have when you like someone like her?]

….

Shen Qingzhi didn't continue scrolling down but fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

Since she entered the entertainment industry until now, such incidents have occurred on average once every two months.

Regarding the various orchestrations she has faced, she has evolved from initially feeling angry and sad to becoming accustomed to it. She has grown accustomed to the circumstances. After all, she was the one who offended others, so she naturally has to bear the consequences.

However, every time she sees those who show goodwill towards her and suffer on her behalf, she can't help but feel guilty.

When she initially chose to enter the entertainment industry, it was because of her passion for acting and some reasons she didn't want to dwell on. She never considered that she would gain fans.

But as she quickly rose to fame, she received unprecedented love and support.

It is because of this love and support that she has become more determined to continue on this path.

However, good times didn't last long. From the moment she offended someone, she found herself in a tumultuous and treacherous situation.

Even those fans who love her couldn't enjoy a few peaceful days.

It's hard to like people like me, isn't it?

Shen Qingzhi clicked into her personal fan club page, which was livelier than usual due to the hot search topic.

Little fans were crying and feeling wronged, while big fans were comforting them and organizing a counterattack.

Seeing this group of strangers worrying about her even late at night, she felt a bit guilty about just standing by and doing nothing.

Her manager, Song Ling, had asked her to reflect on herself at home for a few days, but she still had access to her Weibo account.

So she took a picture of the lollipop in her hand with her phone and posted it on Weibo.

Shen Qingzhi V: A lollipop before bed, so sweet. [Image]

Most of her fans were young and innocent, and their attention could easily be diverted. When they saw her posting on Weibo, they rushed to respond.

[It's that strawberry-flavored lollipop again, @Alas Lollipop, take my money]

[Wife, you're sweeter than the lollipop, hehe]

[Zhizhi, don't eat too much candy before bed, or you might get cavities.]

….

Shen Qingzhi casually scrolled through a few comments, then checked her fan club page and the hot search section. As expected, there were fewer people crying and engaging in arguments.

In the past few months, she had come to realize that for those fans who truly loved her, their greatest sadness wasn't losing an argument, but rather the worry that she would be hurt by negative news.

Many fans imagined their idols to be fragile and wished to protect them in a glass jar.

In reality, these celebrities who had entered society were often older and more emotionally stable than many of their fans who were still in their ivory towers*.

*people who are still sheltered and not yet exposed to cruelty and corruptness of the world

So in times like these, Shen Qingzhi only needed to assure her fans: she is doing well and not sad

That way, her fans could naturally feel relieved.

However, during such times, any statement she made was prone to being maliciously misinterpreted.

Carrying her Weibo post, the comments criticizing her thick-skinned behavior and accusing her of deliberate provocation were naturally abundant.

However, she couldn't be bothered with all that. As long as her little cuties' emotions stabilized, it was enough for her.

After posting the Weibo, Shen Qingzhi unwrapped the candy wrapper from the lollipop and closed her eyes, enjoying it with a contented look on her face.

This was her last one in her pocket. She had given one to Song Ling and another to a child today, so she would have to go home to get more tomorrow.

While savoring the lollipop, she closed her eyes and rested, unaware of when someone had stopped beside her.

"Qingqing?"

Shen Qingzhi opened her eyes and happened to see Gu Jinrong, who had just finished bathing.

Gu Jinrong was dressed in a pure black silk pajama, with only a simple belt tied around her waist. Her arms, with their creamy skin, still had some faint watermarks, making the warm light in the room cast a layer of gloss on them.

Shen Qingzhi tilted her head back, and her gaze met the alluring sight at the neckline, following the slight movement of the silky fabric. A sudden heat surged on her face.

She pretended to be nonchalant, turning her head slightly while munching on the lollipop.

"You're done bathing. By the way, where am I sleeping tonight?"

Gu Jinrong noticed Shen Qingzhi's reaction, but instead of answering her question directly, she naturally sat down on the sofa next to her.

She glanced at the discarded lollipop wrapper in the trash bin, her eyes and smile filled with gentleness.

"These are the Alas lollipops. I brought back many of them from M Country when I returned this time."

"The headquarters over there has recently developed a new flavor. Would you like to try it, Qingqing?"

I knew she would use lollipops to coax me. Do I look like a child to her?

The slight anger that Shen Qingzhi had before taking a shower was stirred up again. She chewed the remaining lollipop in two bites, threw the stick into the trash can, and put on a self-consciously cold expression.

"No, thank you. I hate eating lollipops."

She glanced at the meaningful gaze from Gu Jinrong, then looked at the candy wrapper in the trash can, quickly coming up with an excuse.

"That candy was given to me by someone else. I just didn't want to waste it. I won't eat lollipops anymore in the future."

Gu Jinrong seemed to believe her explanation, with a slightly pitiful expression on her face.

"You can accept things from others, but not from your jiejie?"

Gu Jinrong, with her makeup removed, lost some of her stunning beauty, but her charm remained. Her appearance without cosmetics added a touch of Oriental beauty to her allure.

The slightly furrowed brows, combined with a pair of affectionate and captivating eyes, made her look as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Shen Qingzhi's heart suddenly skipped a beat, but she quickly hardened her heart.

This person has always been like this, innocent as if someone has mistreated her.

But it's clear that she is the most ruthless and heartless one!

I won't be fooled again!

Shen Qingzhi stared at Gu Jinrong, her expression serious.

"In the future, you are not allowed to call yourself 'jiejie.' I have a jiejie."

"Also, you are not allowed to call me 'Qingqing' anymore. Don't assume we're close just because we got married."

"We agreed to a contractual marriage, it's a contract!"

"Oh, by the way, do you have paper and pen at home? Since we have some free time now, let's draft the contract."

Gu Jinrong listened attentively by the side, even if she was scolded, she wasn't annoyed. After all, this was the first time Qingqing had spoken so much to her since returning home today.

Seeing Shen Qingzhi still glaring at her, she cautiously asked.

"I understand. So, I won't call you 'Qingqing' anymore... Should I call you... wife?"

Author's Note:

Gu Jinrong: I understand, wife.

Shen Qingzhi: What do you understand?!

***

I made some slight adjustments to Chapters 1, 2, and 3, changing both parents in the Shen family to female. Since same-sex marriage is allowed, I wanted to add some excitement to the Shen family's storyline. If you've already read it, you don't need to go back.

I've provided information about the Shen family's parents. They are both surnamed Shen (I'm too lazy to change Shen Hanzhi's surname to match her older sister, Shen Qinzhi).

Shen Qiong: Gave birth to Shen Hanzhi, egg donor for Shen Qinzhi

Shen Wangshu: Gave birth to Shen Qinzhi, egg donor for Shen Hanzhi.