Chapter 120
Before Qi Cheng even clicked on that Weibo post—or to be more precise, right after the smear articles started flooding the internet—Yu Qingshi's team was urgently discussing how to handle the situation.
Their first stance was clear: they had to clarify things as soon as possible.
This was a baseless accusation. Some suggested taking legal action and suing the actress for defamation. Others said they should send a lawyer's letter—they would definitely sue—but since the other side was being shameless and trying to stir up trouble, and since it involved a female actress, especially with a topic like sexual harassment, the general public (not just the fan circle) would instinctively sympathize with the actress.
After all, she could play the victim card and link it to workplace sexual harassment and other related issues.
Arguing back and forth would only damage Yu Qingshi's reputation.
At that time, Yu Qingshi happened to be at home, enjoying a rare day off with no work. The team was discussing things via online video. Jiang Zhi was standing nearby, growing more and more anxious, and kept wanting to raise his hand to share his opinion. But he remembered that Yu Qingshi had told him not to appear on camera—
If he showed up in the frame, at Yu Qingshi's house, the team would probably figure it out, right?
In the end, Jiang Zhi quietly reached out from where the camera couldn't see him and hooked his finger around Yu Qingshi's. Yu Qingshi looked up, immediately understood what Jiang Zhi wanted to say, and told the team on the other side of the computer to wait a moment.
"Qingshi, it's actually pretty easy to fix. Netizens are bashing you, saying you sexually harassed a female coworker. But if you like men and have a boyfriend, doesn't that solve the problem?"
Yu Qingshi had already guessed what Jiang Zhi was going to say and replied calmly, "And if I say that, and then they put out articles claiming I like men but still cheated and harassed a female colleague, saying I'm bisexual?"
Jiang Zhi: ...
That wouldn't happen, right?
Jiang Erha's face visibly drooped. Yu Qingshi turned his microphone back on and said, "If I say I have a boyfriend—"
The Erha's ears perked up immediately.
The studio team responded: "That's not a bad idea. It could work."
"I don't think it's that great. The woman would still keep harassing him. Saying he has a boyfriend but cheated with a female coworker is even worse."
"We should just contact the woman's side—"
Yu Qingshi cut them off: "No contact, no private negotiation. The only option is to sue."
"Actually, the boyfriend angle isn't bad, but it wouldn't be great for your career in the long run. You know that even though same-sex marriage is legal in our country, in the entertainment industry, once you come out and admit you have a boyfriend, your future opportunities will take a hit. Better film and TV productions might hesitate to cast you, and the scripts you get offered will most likely feminize you."
There were plenty of precedents—too many to count. Many male and female celebrities who came out and got married ended up being quietly feminized behind the scenes in the industry. The roles they were offered became more niche and gimmicky. The environment for lesbian celebrities was even worse—some people who didn't understand or had outdated views would criticize and insult them, and some men always made crude jokes.
Things like: "That's because you've never tried being with a man, that's why you chose a woman."
Or: "So-and-so is so rich and pretty, what a waste not to have kids."
Some of these celebrities had their peak moments, but most of them eventually went downhill. And after coming out, public curiosity fueled a bunch of unethical paparazzi who would do anything to catch these stars' private lives. Several couples ended up divorcing under the pressure of all that voyeurism, rumors, and gossip.
It wasn't just about coming out—once you did, every aspect of your life would be affected.
"...In this industry, the ones who spend money on fandoms are mostly young women. Think it over carefully," a colleague said. "And what about your boyfriend? He looks pretty young. Can he handle the pressure? How tight-lipped is he? Is he reliable? What if you break up later and he starts selling your private life for money..."
Jiang Zhi was practically dying of anxiety right next to him. He would never tell anyone about his and Yu Qingshi's private life.
What are these people even thinking?!
Qingshi in bed—I'd have to be out of my mind to talk about that.
Yu Qingshi saw how worked up Jiang Zhi was, but his own expression remained as calm as ever. He said, "He won't. He's young, but he's very responsible. I trust him."
Jiang Erha: Hee hee!
Grinning from ear to ear with a flash of big white teeth!
The team discussed further, including coordinating with trending topics, and after coming out, coordinating with all parties to drag that variety show host through the mud—preferably with solid evidence.
Only with coordinated efforts from multiple sides could they turn public opinion around.
It took time for the wave of negative trending topics to spread across the internet. Whoever was behind this had gone all out, posting it during peak hours when traffic was highest—right when working folks and students were off duty and resting. So it spread fast. It wasn't until three hours later that the studio was finally ready.
"If you're sure, should we record a video or just post text?" a colleague asked.
At such a critical moment, how could it be just text?! Jiang Erha, still grinning, was the first to object. He'd already showered, fixed his hair, and changed through at least ten or fifteen outfits.
Yu Qingshi had watched Jiang Zhi put on a fashion show for an hour straight, asking him over and over if he looked good, if he was dressed appropriately, if he was worthy of him. Yu Qingshi's heart softened at that—he wanted to laugh. Here was Jiang Zhi, who was clearly so outstanding, yet in his own mind, he always felt like Yu Qingshi was out of his league, untouchable, impossible to match.
"I think something comfortable and casual would be better?" Yu Qingshi offered gently. The formal three-piece suit that looked like he was going to a banquet was way too over-the-top.
Jiang Zhi looked at himself in the mirror and realized it did seem a bit too un-homey—
Wait, homey?!
Jiang Erha's eyes lit up.
Yu Qingshi knew immediately that this guy had come up with another wild idea. "What is it?"
"Nothing, nothing! I'll be right back." Jiang Zhi dashed to the master bedroom walk-in closet, stripped off the three-piece suit, and grabbed a washed set of loungewear, changing into it in a flash.
The team had already arrived in the living room and set up the camera and lighting.
The two of them sat on the living room sofa, looking relaxed and natural, which also made them more believable. The studio colleagues had all met Jiang Zhi before—he'd even filled in as an assistant earlier.
Jiang Zhi truly lived up to his role as the male lead—188 cm tall, with a bright, youthful smile. He worked out regularly and loved sports, with lean, aesthetic muscles—not bulky, but the classic "looks slim in clothes, ripped without" type.
He was handsome, with thick eyebrows, a tall nose, and slightly deep-set eyes—classic striking features. But his overall vibe was clean, so there was no greasiness. When he didn't speak or smile, he looked aloof and rather mature.
Anyway, the studio staff all agreed he was presentable—in terms of looks, he matched their boss well enough. Their boss wouldn't be losing out. They made a perfect couple, and probably wouldn't lose too many fans.
To be blunt, Yu Qingshi was currently on the "traffic actor" track—more popular, higher-profile, with better endorsements than the average actor, and his fans were very dedicated when it came to voting and streaming data. Why did these fans follow him? Partly because his acting was talented and improving, but the main reason they fell for him at first sight was his looks.
Coming out was already a big deal. But if his boyfriend turned out to be some average middle-aged guy—people would assume sugar daddy or emotional issues. If he was ugly—then Yu Qingshi must be blind, and the thought of their idol dating and kissing an ugly guy would definitely drive away a huge chunk of fans.
But if he looked like Jiang Zhi—young, handsome, and fit—at least the fans' first reaction would be "he's hot" and "at least my idol isn't being claimed by a troll." Of course, once they cooled down, the angry fans who wanted to leave would still leave.
"Alright, we're ready to start recording," a staff member said.
Jiang Zhi sat down, a little nervous. "Are we rolling?" Next to him, Yu Qingshi patted Jiang Zhi's hand and said, "We've started."
"I have a boyfriend. We've been together for over half a year," Yu Qingshi said simply.
The studio would release a written statement clarifying things and would sue those spreading rumors. On Yu Qingshi's end, all he had to do was admit to having a boyfriend and come out. That was consistent with Yu Qingshi's usual style—short and to the point.
Jiang Zhi saw that Yu Qingshi was about to wrap it up and immediately grabbed his hand, saying, "I haven't said hi to everyone yet. Hello, everyone. I'm Jiang Zhi, Qingshi's boyfriend. I'm three years younger than him, but I'll love him well, take care of him, make sure he eats properly. I hope you'll all continue to support his work. Thank you."
Yu Qingshi tended to forget to eat when he was deep into filming, and sometimes just grabbed whatever was convenient. Before he and Jiang Zhi moved in together, he'd already developed stomach issues and had once ended up in the hospital because the pain was unbearable.
All the fans knew about this.
But Yu Qingshi frowned inwardly. Tonight, Jiang Zhi was acting a bit different from usual. Even though he was happy, the way he spoke just now had a hint of "acting cute" to it—and soon Yu Qingshi understood why.
The studio had pointed out that if he came out, and if he was perceived as the "bottom" in the relationship, he could easily get typecast into niche or grotesque roles in the future. His fans and haters alike would use that to "feminize" him.
Meaning they'd force a feminine image onto him.
"Finally, Mom, I really love Qingshi. Please don't interfere in our relationship," Jiang Zhi suddenly said, his tone turning serious.
He'd long suspected who was behind all this. A variety show host they'd clashed with before—they'd exchanged a few sharp words and had some bad blood, but that person didn't have the resources to launch a full-scale smear campaign across the internet and buy trending topics.
And that was the end of the video.
Qi Cheng finished watching: ...
???
"Husband, did Erha just act all clingy just now?"
It wasn't exactly feminization, but his tone was kind of boyish, soft and sticky, his eyes full of affection and barely contained joy, constantly glancing at Yu Qingshi and sneaking touches of his hand—
If Qi Cheng hadn't read the original novel, he'd really be confused about which one was the bottom here.
"Things in novels can change too," Bai Zongyin said, watching his Chengcheng's animated expression and knowing exactly what he was thinking. He deliberately teased him.
Sure enough, Qi Cheng: !!!
His face was full of shock, eyes wide and round—no different from how he looked when he saw a particularly delicious meal.
"No way?" He lowered his voice and muttered, "No way... because I transmigrated here, Erha went from being the top to being the bottom—"
Not that being the bottom was bad, it was just shocking.
"Xiao Zhi seems to be about 188 cm, and Qingshi is around 182 cm if I remember right. So a short top?"
After mumbling this to himself, Qi Cheng went "pfft pfft" twice—he didn't mean to diss Yu Qingshi as a short top. "Really?" His eyes were wide, face full of utter disbelief, looking at his husband with total dependence and naive trust.
Bai Zongyin: "...You're way too easy to fool."
"If I'm not mistaken, it probably won't change."
Deep down, Xiao Zhi is nowhere near as goofy as he appears on the surface.
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