Chapter 23

Seeing Da He’s slightly wavering expression, Xia Xi felt reassured, knowing he had taken her words to heart. She paused briefly before continuing, "And Da He, don’t worry. Who in the entertainment industry can claim they haven’t done the things I did in the past? Even if I’m targeted, it won’t have much impact."
Fang Zichen couldn’t help but chuckle softly upon hearing Xia Xi’s words. He calmly took a sip of tea and glanced at her with interest, not interrupting her conversation with Da He. After all, the fact that they were discussing such private matters in front of him was a sign of respect.
He didn’t want to delve into whether Xia Xi had discerned his deep friendship with Da He and Yan Wei or had learned about the inseparable honor between the Fang Group and the Yan family. But undeniably, she was a clever woman, completely different from the willful and naive Xia Xi of the past. Had breaking up with Luo Chu’an changed her so much? How intriguing.
The flicker of doubt in Fang Zichen’s eyes did not escape Xia Xi’s notice.
His gaze made her involuntarily fluster, and her eyes wavered slightly.
What was Fang Zichen doubting just now? Was he puzzled by how different my behavior is now, or was it something else? If it’s the former, would he suspect that I’m not the original owner?
The thought of this possibility instantly soured Xia Xi’s mood.
She silently lowered her head, intending to pick up her cup and take a sip of water to calm her nerves. She knew that in moments like these, it was crucial to stay composed. But due to her extreme tension, she nearly dropped the cup.
Da He had been about to say something more, but when he saw Xia Xi silently lower her head as if avoiding something, her hands trembling slightly, a pang of heartache flashed in his eyes. It seemed that Xia Xi had made this decision only after much inner struggle, and he shouldn’t add to her pressure. As her agent, he ought to support her choices, after all, she had trusted him so openly just moments ago, hadn’t she?
"We'll face any problems together."
Thus, all his objections stuck in his throat. In the end, he could only sigh and compromise with Xia Xi, saying, "Fine, we'll do it your way. But I have to let your brother know about this first. Otherwise, when he finds out later, he’ll definitely come after me."
Upon hearing Da He’s words, Xia Xi closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her mind and forcing herself to calm down. She felt that this was the most frightening thing she had encountered since arriving in this world.
When she lifted her head again, only surprise remained in her eyes. She pursed her lips and glanced at Da He, noticing his constipated expression, and froze for a few seconds.
Then, as if unintentionally, Xia Xi glanced at Fang Zichen and saw that his usually calm expression also flickered with unease upon hearing Yan Wei’s name. Curious, she chuckled lightly and asked, "Da He, are you really that scared of my brother?"
"Of course not!" At the mention of "my brother," Da He seemed to recall something painful, his face twisting into an indescribable expression. Then, flustered and angry, he shook his head and insisted stubbornly, "You’re overthinking it. How could I be scared of your brother? I’m just worried about causing a rift between you two."
In truth, Xia Xi had only meant to tease Da He and change the subject, not take it seriously. But his reaction piqued her interest, there was clearly something fishy going on! Her eyes lit up.
"Da He, it looks like you and my brother shared some unforgettable times. Come on, tell me all about it."
"Tell you what? You’re just a kid with too much curiosity. Haven’t you heard that curiosity killed the cat?" Da He awkwardly rubbed his nose, all traces of his earlier distress forgotten. Being alive was good enough.
He shot Xia Xi a look and then abruptly changed the subject. "Eat, eat! Look, all this food is going to get cold."
Xia Xi was clearly dissatisfied with Da He’s deliberate evasion, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy to extract the information she wanted from him. Noting his guilty expression, she pursed her lips and went along with his wishes, dropping the topic. Still, her curiosity about Yan Wei was thoroughly ignited.
She couldn’t help but wonder: What exactly had the original host’s brother done to Da He and Fang Zichen? It seemed they had suffered greatly, to the point where even now, they still wore expressions of lingering fear.
What kind of person was the original host’s brother? What had he done?
And so, the three of them fell into an eerie silence. Da He and Fang Zichen were lost in their own thoughts, unable to snap out of it, while Xia Xi didn’t know what to say to break the unusual quiet. Remembering the doubt she had seen flash in Fang Zichen’s eyes earlier, she grew afraid, afraid that saying too much might give her away or inadvertently offend the influential Fang Zichen. Neither outcome was worth the risk.
Xia Xi found it strange. The original host and Fang Zichen hadn’t interacted much before, yet he had sensed something off about her based on mere stereotypes. What kind of insight was that? Or was it a case of "the onlooker sees most of the game"?
"Ring, ring, ring, "
A sudden ringtone shattered the silence between them, startling Xia Xi. She narrowed her eyes and watched as Da He furrowed his brow, pulled his phone from his pocket, and answered the call.
The previously quiet private room was now filled only with Da He’s voice.
"Hello, Director Wang."
"Alright, I understand."
It was unclear what was said on the other end of the line, but Da He suddenly shot Fang Zichen a meaningful glance, broke into a wide smile, and continued cheerfully, "Sure, thank you for the reminder."
"You’re busy? Let’s talk another time then."
After hanging up, the room fell silent once again. Xia Xi couldn’t shake the feeling that the three of them had nothing to talk about, and sitting there like that was quite awkward. She wondered how long this strange silence would last.
But this time, Xia Xi’s worries were unnecessary, as Da He quickly broke the quiet.
After hanging up, he glanced at Xia Xi and then at Fang Zichen, placing his phone on the table. His eyes darted around thoughtfully, and he turned his head slightly so Fang Zichen couldn’t see, giving Xia Xi a meaningful look. Then, turning back to Fang Zichen with a smile, he asked casually, "Fang Zichen, are you free on the evening of December 25th?"
December 25th, what kind of day was that?
Though Xia Xi was also curious why Da He had suddenly brought up that date, the look on his face made it instantly clear: he was obviously planning to scheme against someone.
Feeling amused, she glanced at Da He and then at Fang Zichen, stifling a laugh inwardly. Unhurried, she picked up a piece of braised pork elbow, shifted into a more comfortable position, and settled in to enjoy the show while eating. After all, things she didn’t understand now might become clear soon enough.
"You’re asking me out?" Fang Zichen seemed momentarily taken aback by the question. He raised an eyebrow, a flicker of understanding in his eyes, and turned to look directly at Da He with a light chuckle. His tone carried a hint of implication as he said, "If it’s you asking, I think I’ll always have time."
Da He’s initially smiling eyes dimmed slightly at Fang Zichen’s words. He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of fish from the plate, and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly and without much enthusiasm. In a bland tone, he asked, "Is that so?"
Hearing Fang Zichen’s reply, Da He suddenly felt a wave of irritation. With a strained smile, he said, "Well, in that case, I’ll trouble the great singer Fang Zichen to condescend and be Xia Xi’s guest performer on December 25th. I’ll fax the relevant contract to your company later."
"Okay." Fang Zichen agreed without hesitation, looking at Da He with a light laugh. "As long as it’s a request from you, I’ll agree to it, no matter what."

When Da He pulled Xia Xi out of the restaurant, she still seemed a bit dazed. Though she was clever, she never expected that even before the show had started, Da He had already secured such a heavyweight guest performer for her. She suspected that when the production team of Cross-Border Singing Joy heard this news, they’d be kneeling before Da He, calling him "Daddy."
Fang Zichen's status in the music industry was equivalent to Lu Yisheng's in the film industry. Xia Xi couldn't even imagine the storm of controversy that would erupt once netizens found out about this collaboration. Her career focus had always been on television dramas. Before working with Lu Yisheng, she had already starred in several TV series, but after netizens learned she would collaborate with the "God Lu," she was universally criticized online. Now, without even having sung a complete song, she was about to collaborate with the legendary Fang Zichen. How badly would she be torn apart this time?
She wondered if it was too late to switch to crosstalk comedy now.
"Da He, I don’t want to sing with Fang Zichen." Xia Xi’s expression was so full of despair that Da He couldn’t possibly ignore it. With a pitiful look, she said to him, "I feel like you’re not helping me, you’re setting me up, all while boosting the show’s ratings."
"Can’t you show some ambition? Singing with Fang Zichen is an opportunity countless singers dream of but never get. Why are you so timid?" Da He frowned and shot her a glare, his tone filled with frustration. "Have you ever considered that with Fang Zichen’s support, you could skyrocket to fame overnight?"
Seeing the helplessness in Da He’s eyes, Xia Xi sighed. She knew he genuinely cared about her and wanted to provide her with the best opportunities and platforms, but perhaps he was being a bit too impatient.
There was no denying it, Xia Xi was truly scared this time.
"Da He, I know you mean well, but I have a feeling that if I sing with the great Fang Zichen, I’ll be completely overshadowed. At that point, I’m afraid…"
"Are you afraid you won’t do well? Don’t you believe in yourself?" Da He interrupted her before she could finish. He narrowed his eyes, his furrowed brow gradually relaxing as he looked at her seriously. Then, patting her shoulder, he said, "Xia Xi, when others hear you’ll be sharing the stage with Fang Zichen, they might think you’re insane, that you’re asking for humiliation. Maybe even you think so yourself."
"But Xia Xi, I don’t see it that way. I believe you’ll do an excellent job. I don’t think you’ll let me down, right?"
Seeing the unwavering belief in Da He’s expression, Xia Xi felt both touched and a little exasperated. Logic told her she should reject his proposal, but her emotions took over, and she found herself nodding involuntarily.