The door to the director’s office was left open, with the occasional passerby drifting by.
Ling Tingyu stood close to her, the fresh, subtle scent of white tea wafting between them.
Lu Xian didn’t speak, but Ling Tingyu reached out and lightly pinched her waist.
“…” Lu Xian caught her restless hand before letting go, giving her a pointed look. “Public space. Behave.”
“I don’t want to.”
Ling Tingyu arched a brow at her and tried to touch her waist again, but Lu Xian stepped back. “President Ye, Professor Ling, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
“Hey!” Ling Tingyu watched her go, disappointed. “Running off so fast.”
Ye Xiangjun sighed with amusement. “Do you two think I’m blind?”
Ling Tingyu, rarely one to act spoiled, pouted. “Auntie, just pretend you didn’t see anything.”
“You dragged me here in such a hurry just for her?” Ye Xiangjun was usually swamped with work and had barely gotten a moment’s rest before Ling Tingyu called her to the set.
“Exactly. Since you’re the show’s investor, only your word carries weight.” Ling Tingyu knew the previous director was a shrewd opportunist who prioritized profit someone hard to deal with otherwise.
Ye Xiangjun waved a hand. “Fine, I won’t pry into your affairs. Show me around the set first.”
Ling Tingyu nodded. “Of course.”
Before arriving, Ye Xiangjun had mentally prepared herself. She had once been a director and knew the ins and outs of production, but after an arranged marriage, she was forced into the family business and hadn’t set foot in the industry for years.
As she skimmed through the script, she tried to recapture the feeling of being behind the camera.
Ling Tingyu knew her aunt was capable excellent at anything she set her mind to. Stepping in as a temporary director wouldn’t be difficult for her.
“Auntie, I should probably call you President Ye while we’re working.” Ling Tingyu had never publicly disclosed their relationship and preferred to keep it that way.
Ye Xiangjun shrugged. “Whatever you prefer.”
“Understood, President Ye.” Ling Tingyu smiled, then spotted Teacher Chang Yuhuan approaching and greeted her. “Teacher Chang, you’re here.”
Chang Yuhuan gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, but upon noticing Ye Xiangjun beside Ling Tingyu, she averted her gaze and headed straight for the break room.
“Teacher Chang…?” Ling Tingyu frowned. “Why did she leave?”
Ye Xiangjun’s grip on the script tightened. “Tingyu, I’ve seen enough for now. I’ll go rest.”
“But we just started looking around!” Before Ling Tingyu could finish, Ye Xiangjun had already walked off toward the break room.
Ling Tingyu: “…”
Why is everyone leaving?
Fan Yiyi and Ma Sha received both the news of the director’s removal and a warning about disqualification.
Ma Sha gasped. “We’re done for. The director bailed.”
Fan Yiyi paled, confused. “Why is Ye Xiangjun here?”
Ma Sha groaned. “This training camp is a lost cause. Let’s just leave.”
“You go if you want. I’m not dropping out.” Fan Yiyi smirked at her. “You’re the one who leaked the video. What does that have to do with me?”
Ma Sha froze. “You’re the one who told me to handle it! Fan Yiyi, have some decency.”
“Then show me the proof.”
Ma Sha: “I—”
“Meanwhile, I have plenty of screenshots of your chats with those gossip accounts plus the payment records.”
“After all I did for you, you’re throwing me under the bus?” Ma Sha hadn’t expected to be used as a stepping stone and discarded so easily.
Fan Yiyi scoffed, “Masha, there’s still time for you to apologize and withdraw from the competition as I said. Don’t oppose me, or it’ll be too late when I present the evidence to expose you.”
Masha was nearly fuming with rage.
Meanwhile, Lu Xian returned to the dormitory with the surveillance footage, where You Yijia and Lin Xu were still waiting.
You Yijia anxiously asked, “How did it go?”
“Got it.” Lu Xian held the USB drive between her fingers. “Do you have a computer?”
“Leave it to me.” You Yijia took the USB and plugged it into her laptop, extracting the full video of the incident.
Lin Xu said, “I’ve already recorded a clarification video explaining the whole situation. We can post it on Weibo together.”
“Good.” Lu Xian registered a new Weibo account. “You Yijia, send me the video.”
After You Yijia forwarded the video to Lu Xian, she came across Masha’s own “clarification” video.
“Lu Xian, take a look at this.”
Masha’s video carefully skirted the main issue, focusing only on herself and completely absolving Fan Yiyi of any blame.
Masha: “I didn’t mean to waste public resources. The trending topic was all a misunderstanding. Lu Xian has always been kind to me. That day, we were just having a meal together, three of us. There was no bullying involved. We’re all good friends. I don’t know how the video got leaked, but I apologize for causing trouble. Please don’t attack Lu Xian, she’s really a good person.”
She omitted all the crucial details and ended with a pitifully virtuous act, making it seem as if Lu Xian had forced her to speak.
The comments flooded in quickly, with the top one reading: [Blink twice if you’re being threatened.]
Lu Xian posted her edited Weibo: “Who said we were ever friends?”
Lin Xu then uploaded her own clarification video with the caption: [Lu Xian was standing up for me, they were originally targeting me.]
As she pressed “send,” Lin Xu’s fingers trembled. For once, she felt she had finally mustered the courage to speak up.
The moment the video was posted, someone no one knew who bought them a trending spot, and the clarification quickly soared to the top of the hot searches.
Masha’s lies were instantly debunked, and netizens swarmed her Weibo: [Liar! Quit the competition already! Was Fan Yiyi forcing you too?!]
Meanwhile, Lu Xian and Lin Xu’s posts were flooded with supporters.
[Plot twist! How do those who rushed to attack feel now?]
[I knew it, the person I stan would never be in the wrong!]
[Still supporting Lu Xian tonight!]
[But Lu Xian was defending Lin Xu… I ship them!]
[Psst… I made a fan page for the Lu-Lin ship. Anyone wanna join?]
[Count me in!]
…
Within seconds, the discussion shifted from the scandal’s resolution to shipping the two of them.
Who could’ve predicted the internet’s bizarre thought process finding romance in the most unexpected places?
You Yijia eagerly searched for the Lu-Lin fan page. “It actually exists, hahaha!”
Lu Xian: “…”
Lin Xu: “…”
The two involved parties were mortified.
“Professor Ling?” You Yijia looked up from her laptop and immediately stood when she saw Ling Tingyu at the door.
Ling Tingyu had been strolling around the training camp when she overheard laughter from Lu Xian’s dorm and decided to check in.
“What’s got you all so happy?”
You Yijia enthusiastically showed Ling Tingyu her phone screen, but Lu Xian intercepted her. “We’re just happy to have cleared up the false accusations from the trending topic.”
Ling Tingyu glanced at You Yijia. “Is that so?”
You Yijia cleared her throat lightly. “Yes, it’s because of this.”
Lu Xian found it strange, but Ling Tingyu didn’t believe her. “Don’t lie to me.”
“…” Unable to keep things to herself, You Yijia ignored Lu Xian and Lin Xu’s glances and handed her phone to Ling Tingyu.
Ling Tingyu took it and saw a Weibo super topic displayed on the screen. The topic was named “Lu Lin.”
Upon closer inspection, “Lu Lin” was a combination of Lu Xian and Lin Xu’s surnames.
The super topic already had fan-made content edited videos of Lu Xian defending Lin Xu. What were originally normal scenes became extremely ambiguous with the addition of background music.
Watching the growing number of fans in the super topic, Ling Tingyu frowned slightly, her gaze deep.
She returned the phone to You Yijia. “The netizens’ edits are quite good.”
You Yijia’s eyes lit up, could it be that Teacher Ling also shipped them?
Lu Xian swallowed hard. “Teacher Ling, it’s just netizens fooling around.”
Lin Xu lowered her head. “I’ll head back first.”
Lin Xu left in a hurry, leaving her cracked-screen phone on the table. You Yijia took it to return to her.
The dorm room was now left with only Ling Tingyu and Lu Xian.
During the last live elimination round, Ling Tingyu had noticed Lin Xu. She was beautiful, a delicate and soft Omega, though her reserved personality made her an easy target for bullying in the team.
A faint, unreadable smile flickered in Ling Tingyu’s eyes. “Lu Xian, you seem quite close with Lin Xu?”
Lu Xian replied, “Don’t misunderstand. Lin Xu and I aren’t even acquaintances.”
Back then, Lu Li had secretly dated Lin Xu without telling Ling Tingyu, so she didn’t know Lin Xu was actually Lu Li’s ex-girlfriend.
Before Lu Xian could explain further, You Yijia returned after delivering the phone to Lin Xu.
You Yijia said, “Teacher Ling, President Ye was just looking for you.”
Ling Tingyu responded with a faint “Mm,” but the warmth in her eyes when looking at Lu Xian had faded.
Lu Xian thought, Don’t get angry again.
With You Yijia present, Ling Tingyu didn’t linger and turned to leave the dorm.
Casually, Lu Xian said to You Yijia, “I’m going to the training room to practice singing.”
You Yijia picked up her guitar. “Perfect, I was heading there too. Let’s go together.”
“…” Lu Xian paused, then smiled. “You go ahead. I’ll practice here in the dorm.”
“Why the sudden change?” You Yijia tilted her head, confirming Lu Xian wasn’t coming before nodding. “Alright, I’ll go alone.”
“Go on.” Once You Yijia left, Lu Xian quickly followed the direction Ling Tingyu had gone.
The fifth floor housed the directors’ and mentors’ lounges and meeting rooms, rarely visited by trainees.
When Lu Xian reached the fifth floor, she spotted Ling Tingyu outside the last meeting room at the end of the hallway.
Just as Ling Tingyu was about to knock, Lu Xian reached from behind and grasped her slender wrist.
Caught off guard, Ling Tingyu startled, her delicate shoulders trembling slightly.
Lu Xian leaned close to her ear. “It’s me.”
Hearing Lu Xian’s voice, Ling Tingyu relaxed, her tense body easing.
The hallway had surveillance.
Standing behind Ling Tingyu, Lu Xian wrapped an arm around her waist and swiftly guided her to a corner in the stairwell, out of the camera’s view.
The space in the stairwell corner was cramped, leaving Ling Tingyu almost no room to turn. Her slender back pressed against Lu Xian.
Ling Tingyu’s waist was so slender that Lu Xian could encircle it with one arm. Her voice was low as she murmured, “Are you angry, Teacher Ling?”
The Alpha’s lips brushed her ear, warm breath tickling her skin.
Around her waist were Lu Xian’s long, pale fingers. Ling Tingyu struggled slightly and said, “You should let go of me.”
Lu Xian tightened his grip around her waist instead, speaking almost in a whisper, “Sister, do you really want me to let go?”!?