novelraw Chapter 27 Reject Her?
Chapter 27 Reject Her?
These words traveled into my ears along with the steam.
The muscles in Song Ze's back were taut.
Millions of viewers are watching the live stream from the camera right here.
A dozen or so high-definition cameras had their red lights arranged in a circle around the perimeter.
In this environment, even the slightest tremor will be amplified and analyzed frame by frame across the entire network.
The lavalier microphone is clipped to the left side of the collar, with the black foam microphone tip right at your fingertips.
He tilted his head to the right, creating a three-inch gap.
He pressed his palm against the edge of the table without making a sound, keeping his voice down so that it could only be heard between the two of them.
"You were my deskmate in high school. Please, I've always considered you a buddy. Don't make fun of me at a time like this."
Song Ze was waiting for her to back down.
This was supposed to be a joke that ended when things were looking good.
Xia Ziming did not back down.
She looked straight at him, her cool features revealing an unusual obsession.
Gone was the rationality of the past; there was only a desperate resolve to burn one's bridges.
"I've changed my mind now, is that not allowed?"
Before Song Ze could respond, she added another sentence.
He pronounced each word very clearly with great emphasis.
"What if I'm serious?"
Song Ze was speechless.
He stood still and began to rapidly deduce the scenario in his mind.
This is no joke. She really intends to tie the two of them together at the peak of her popularity.
The millions of public relations resources that Xingyao Entertainment just spent will instantly turn to dust.
For rising idols to bring their girlfriends on camera in dating reality shows is a targeted attack on their fan base.
The 80 million penalty for breach of contract takes effect immediately.
The option of leaving the industry and changing careers will be completely blocked.
But the consequences of refusing were equally clear—the hidden dangers that Wen Ziliang had planted in his previous life, which led to his three years of legal troubles and his complete retirement from the entertainment industry, were all in this woman's hands.
This topic absolutely cannot continue at this long table.
"Let's put this question on hold." Song Ze cut off the conversation, speaking very quickly. "We're still live. We'll talk privately after the show is finished."
Xia Ziming stared at him for two seconds.
"it is good."
Clean and efficient, in a word.
Her leather shoes tapped against the marble floor, and she took a half step back, maintaining a normal social distance.
He held the canvas bag neatly on his lap with his right hand, his shirt collar was tidy, and his demeanor was dignified.
He reverted to his cool and rational demeanor as a top student at Fudan University.
In the control room, the assistant director's walkie-talkie was stuck beside him; he had forgotten to give the instruction to switch camera positions.
The staff behind the dozen or so cameras all held their breath.
These few seconds of silent whispers were captured on the screens of millions of viewers by the main camera.
The barrage of comments went into a half-second vacuum, then started scrolling wildly.
"Who is this woman?"
"You were so close just now, your actions were so suggestive!"
"That bag has 'Fu Jen Catholic University School of Medicine' printed on it, could it be her ex-girlfriend who's a medical student?"
"Bringing an ex-girlfriend to a dating reality show—are they trying to ruin it?"
In the middle of the long table, Lin Shishi held the base of a wine glass.
The bottom of the glass scraped against the wood-grain tabletop with a harsh, screeching sound.
She glanced at Xia Ziming's crisp shirt tailoring, then at Song Ze.
The irritability crept up my chest along my nerves, making me feel even more frustrated than if I had lost the singing competition.
Is she jealous?
How could that be? How could she possibly like that scumbag?
Song Ze turned around and faced dozens of cameras again.
His tense shoulders and back slumped down, and he returned to his usual carefree attitude.
He picked up the champagne glass and tapped the silver cutlery.
The crisp sound of the impact brought everyone's attention back to the present.
"Let me give you a proper introduction."
He gestured to the right with his free hand.
"This is Xia Ziming. He was my deskmate and best friend in high school."
The barrage of comments froze for half a second, then a barrage of negative comments filled the entire screen.
"What happened to my ex-girlfriend who was supposed to be a medical student?"
"You're treating such a beautiful top student from Fudan University as your buddy? Are you blind?!"
"Song Gou, do you even understand women?!"
Song Ze shrugged at the camera and started spouting nonsense.
"The rumors online are all baseless. My love life is too rough. I specially invited her here today so she could share some dating experience and give me some pointers."
Xia Ziming turned to the side and nodded slightly to the main camera.
A slightly raised jawline gives her a graceful and poised appearance.
"A buddy is a buddy, dating is out of the question. I'm just helping him keep an eye on things."
His few words were watertight, directly shattering the previous ambiguous speculations.
The production team quickly changed the teleprompter, which read in bold: "Female guests, please provide dating advice."
Xia Ziming sat down, her posture upright, her hands crossed on the table.
"The most important thing in a relationship between a boy and a girl is to build a sense of security."
"No need for an extravagant affair; eating at a roadside stall is fine. But pay attention to the subtle nuances of the other person's emotions."
"For example, I don't eat cilantro. If a guy can proactively tell the waiter he doesn't want cilantro before ordering, that would be a big plus."
"Weekends don't need to be a whirlwind of activity. A bowl of noodles at home and a boring movie are enough."
The entire article doesn't use a single medical term; it's all about the author's own preferences.
I don't eat cilantro. I cook noodles and watch movies at home on weekends.
This isn't teaching him how to date at all; it's clearly stating their own standards for dating.
She wanted him to walk through these thresholds.
Song Ze leaned back in his chair, resting his chin on the back of his hand, with a blank expression.
On one hand, there's a highly intelligent academic genius with meticulous logic, who articulates valuable emotional insights in a clear and logical manner.
On one side is a lazy man who misses the point and lets things go in one ear and out the other.
The stark contrast created excellent comedic moments for the variety show, and the live stream was flooded with gifts.
"Academic geniuses are dominating straight men!"
"This guy really doesn't understand! Help!"
The indicator lights went out one by one, and the recording was successfully completed.
Behind the load-bearing column, Zhang Juan let out a long breath.
My heart, which had been in suspense for two hours, finally settled back into place.
She strode out in her high heels, her gaze sweeping over Xia Ziming, who was packing her bag.
The professional instincts of frontline agents immediately sounded the alarm.
This is no ordinary person.
That composed demeanor in control of the overall situation and the palpable pressure conveyed in his words even surpassed that of a seasoned artist who had been in the industry for five years.
This girl is a dangerous and destabilizing factor.
Just as Zhang Juan was about to step over and separate the two, Xia Ziming had already slung his canvas bag over his shoulder and walked straight up to Song Ze.
"At 8 p.m., at the Western restaurant 300 meters down Donghui Street. I made a reservation."
Song Ze was about to speak.
"You came alone."
After saying that, she turned away decisively.
The navy blue shirt disappeared at the end of the entryway, leaving no room for negotiation.
"This girl is no ordinary person." Zhang Juan walked over, staring at her departing figure, her high heels stomping heavily on the floor. "Where did you find someone like her? Any clip of what she said on stage could be over-interpreted by marketing accounts."
"I know." Song Ze rubbed the sore spot on the back of his neck. "That's why I have to go see her."
"You're not allowed to go out tonight. There are countless paparazzi lurking outside this door. You're already associated with four or five trending topics, and Wen Ziliang is still watching you from the shadows."
"We have to go." Song Ze stopped what he was doing, turned to look at her, "She knows Wen Ziliang's trump card."
Zhang Juan's words were abruptly cut off.
8 PM, Donghui Street.
Song Ze changed into a black and white casual outfit, wore a black baseball cap, and walked around the main road, following the edge of the food street filled with the smell of cooking oil.
We walked through the bustling crowd and turned into a secluded alley.
There were no surveillance cameras, and no blind spots for paparazzi to stake out.
The restaurant has a small storefront with no eye-catching signboard, only a warm yellow wall lamp lit up.
Pushing open the door, the interior space is secluded and private, with walls covered in sound-absorbing material.
The waiter led him to a corner semi-private room.
The round table was covered with a black velvet tablecloth, and a silver candlestick stood in the center, with three white candle flames flickering.
A perfectly standard candlelight dinner setup.
Song Ze pulled out the high-backed chair and sat down.
Xia Ziming sat opposite her, wearing a black knitted sweater with a high neckline that made her skin look extremely fair.
Her long hair was loose, making her less sharp-tongued than during the day.
Song Ze rested one hand on the edge of the table.
The trajectory of the collapse in the past must be clarified, and we must find out exactly where Wen Ziliang's sinister hand is hidden.
It's time to put an end to all that ambiguous back-and-forth on today's show.
He was ready to get straight to the point.
But in the firelight, the moment his gaze fell upon the other side, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.
The top student from Fudan University, who should have adopted a negotiating stance and forcefully pressured him, didn't even look at him at this moment.
An unnatural red tinge appeared at the corner of her right eye, which stood out starkly against her pale skin, ruining the cool and aloof feel of her entire face.
The flame flickered.
A drop of water slid down from the corner of her eye, along her taut jawline, and landed on the neckline of her black knitwear.