Part 1：Last night in the elevator

Last night in the elevator, Zoe had flashed a friendly smile when she bumped into Song. After all, he's a top-tier celebrity. His pay for one drama could cover a hundred of hers. In the old days, he'd be the hottest star in the industry; in today's terms, Song was the king of popularity, a literal fighter jet among A-listers.But who would've thought..."Are you dating Song?!"Early the next morning, Zoe's manager, Lan, called in a near-scream that raised the decibel level by at least eight. Zoe's first instinct was to hurl her phone across the room.Half-awake, she managed a weak, "What on earth?" She still had no clue what was going on."Don't play dumb. You two were photographed together."A hint of awareness dawned on her as she asked, "Photographed doing what, exactly?"More puzzling to her than Lan's abrupt "You were photographed!" was the sheer thrill in her manager's voice."Do you even realize?" Lan said, "In just the past hour that you've been trending on Weibo, several brands have called wanting to work with you."Hearing that, Zoe finally jolted awake. "Endorsements?""Not endorsements. Brand deals! With enough pay to match a whole drama fee." Lan sounded gleeful. "You could actually make as much as a full series."Zoe's eyes suddenly lit up. Unlike Song, who was at the peak of his career, Zoe was a rookie, practically invisible. She'd only been in one drama with hardly any recognition to her name.In the entertainment world, a "transparent" artist like her was the kind of unknown who took whatever jobs they could find but barely made ends meet. She'd entered the industry only because it offered quick cash, and she needed to pay off debts."Hold on." Zoe stayed rational, despite the sudden temptations. "Can we rewind a bit? What's this about me dating Song?""Don't act coy!" Lan replied. "The paparazzi snapped you two together! No wonder you've been acting strange lately—you're in love! How many times have I told you? You have to report relationships to the company! Look at this mess we're in now!"Her manager's words sounded as if she was scolding her, but Zoe could sense the delighted excitement through the phone."Wait a minute, Jie, listen—I'm not dating anyone.""Oh, spare me!""No, really!" Zoe dragged herself out of bed, her eyes still heavy with sleep. "You know me better than that! I have so much debt; where would I find the time or energy to date anyone?"A silence fell on the other end of the line.Zoe guessed her manager didn't want to believe it.By now, Zoe could almost piece things together. If the rumor involved Song, her manager would absolutely want it to be true. Company policy banning new actresses from dating? Who cared!This was Song they were talking about—the top of the top, a walking "headline." Getting attached to him, even by rumor, meant instant fame. Lan was probably picturing the scene where her artist finally hit the big time, and she, as her manager, cashed in right alongside her.Zoe sighed in frustration, thinking, What even is all of this? Where did such a wild rumor even come from? Which shameless tabloid came up with this nonsense?