Chapter 84 Birthday Surprise

"I understand." Song Nian took the contract back and stood up from the sofa, and when she looked up again, she regained the confident smile that an actress should have, "I struggled for a long time before I came here today. ...but I don't regret it either."

When Song Nian left, Zhou Ziheng immediately called Jiang Yin.

"Sister-in-law, help me check Song Nian's team. I want to know which investors they are contacting now." Thinking of what Song Nian said before, Zhou Ziheng said again, "Also, if there is a recent media exposure about Xia Xiqing's private life Please help me with the public relations."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Xiqing pushed open the door and came in, "Why is Ronaldinho standing outside..."

Seeing this, Zhou Ziheng hung up the phone.

"When did you buy these to eat?" Xia Xiqing sat down, cut a small piece of cake with a fork and put it in his mouth, "I'm really hungry."

Zhou Ziheng smiled and sat beside him without saying anything, silently holding his left hand.

The two rested for a while in the lounge before leaving the TV station. Xia Xiqing's cell phone rang again, he hung up, turned to Zhou Ziheng and said, "I have something very important to deal with, you go home first."

Zhou Ziheng nodded, his mind was full of what Song Nian said before. If he stayed with Xia Xiqing in a state like his, he would definitely find out something.

"Exactly, I have to go to the company too."

The two of them split up like this. A large group of fans gathered around the downstairs of the TV station. They finally waited for the appearance of idols, but Zhou Ziheng was the only one.

"Why did Heng Heng come down alone?"

"That's right, what about brother Xi Qing?"

Zhou Ziheng got into the car with a smile, "You brother Xiqing left beforehand." The door closed and he waved from inside as a farewell to the fans.

After returning to the company, Zhou Ziheng went straight to Jiang Yin's office. Jiang Yin, who had just finished the conference call, came back from the conference room and saw Zhou Ziheng, and she understood the seriousness of the situation.

"Since Song Nian said that, she must have heard some rumors." Zhou Ziheng sorted out his thoughts, "She doesn't have a background, and she didn't have many previous film contracts, which means that at least before this, Song Nian had no sponsor behind her. , or that her financial master's ability is not great."

He looked at Jiang Yin and said, "You have people in many media, but you haven't heard the news about the sexual orientation of popular actors, but Song Nian knows about it."

Jiang Yin put her fingers under her chin, "What if she's lying?"

"I thought about this when she said it. First, she was very sincere when she said it, and secondly, he really didn't need it." Zhou Ziheng sighed with relief, "If she just wants to take advantage of the relationship between me and Xia Xiqing It is possible to defraud me for the opportunity to become a contract couple, and it can be directly threatened, and this approach is too unsafe. If I sign a contract with her, but no news of the same sex will be exposed in the future, what she said will be automatically debunked, Not many people can do such a stupid thing."

"So," Zhou Zi said his conjecture, "I think the only reasonable possibility for Song Nian's tip-off is that the person who tried to create this riot was the same person who tried to support Song Nian. It should have been at a dinner party or some other time when I accidentally learned about this news, and then came over and told me."

Although she knew that her brother-in-law was smart, Jiang Yin was a little surprised this time. He originally thought that when Zhou Ziheng met Xia Xiqing, he would be overwhelmed by his emotions. This was always something she was worried about, but his careful thinking made Jiang Yin have to admit that she really underestimated Zhou Ziheng.

"I will find someone to investigate this, but if Song Nian really said it, there will be movements in the next two days, and my investigation may not be too late."

Zhou Ziheng pondered with frowning, and was silent for a few seconds before speaking, "I have an idea."

"you say."

"What happens artificially always has his reasonable motives. If a reporter takes any photos of me and Xia Xiqing, they release them for profit, so before they really leak the photos and videos, they will definitely contact the person concerned, if the person concerned is willing to spend money Buying these evidences at a high price will achieve their purpose. But no one is contacting you now."

"It means that this matter was not discovered by the media first." Jiang Yin quickly understood what Zhou Ziheng meant, "If the media really photographed something, they should contact us as soon as possible, not for other sponsors. Investors, so..."

Zhou Ziheng said firmly, "So nothing was photographed by the media at all. It was just someone who knew the inside story who was making trouble."

The scope was shortened all of a sudden, and Zhou Ziheng's heart had almost determined the suspect who was causing trouble.

"Wei Min, this scumbag, will never repent." Zhou Ziheng clenched his fists tightly, "I should have killed him in the first place."

"Don't act rashly." Jiang Yin thought about the way out, "If things are the same as what we have analyzed, the media should not have photographed the real hammer of you and Xia Xiqing, so things are easy to handle. I will go check Wei now. Does Min have anything to do with Song Nian's team recently?" After speaking, Jiang Yin began to call one by one.

When he thought about it again, Zhou Ziheng was a little hesitant. If Wei Min was really behind the scenes, how could he dare to touch himself.

In an instant, Song Nian's words surfaced again.

[You are the second son of the Zhou family, no one dares to touch you, but have you ever thought about Xia Xiqing, in the entertainment industry, money is nothing, and powerful people have golden bells. ]

Jiang Yin has been in the circle for too many years, and her eyeliner is too numerous to count.

"Don't worry, you help me this time. Next time if you want to find me, Jiang Yin will never shirk." Seeing her sister-in-law hang up the phone with a smile, the smile on her face instantly changed to a cold one. Zhou Ziheng also understood the expression.

"Wei Min really wanted to support Song Nian recently, she didn't lie."

After hearing Jiang Yin's words, Zhou Ziheng stood up directly.

"You are not allowed to go to him now." Jiang Yin shouted sternly, "Since Wei Min dares to mess with you, he must be ready. The last time you beat him, he definitely has a long memory in his heart. Reporter, if you stimulate you again, then you will be the one who will make the headlines."

"I didn't want to find him." Zhou Ziheng turned around, "I want to find Xia Xiqing."

Jiang Yin sighed, "Xia Xiqing is in trouble here. Although he is Xia Yunkai's son, online public opinion cannot be suppressed by money, sometimes even power can't be suppressed."

Zhou Ziheng didn't speak, thinking about countermeasures.

"I will contact Wei Min on your behalf to see if he has any compromise conditions."

Zhou Ziheng felt disgusted at the thought of compromising with someone like Wei Min. But he didn't want Xia Xiqing to be hurt even more.

After a long silence, Zhou Ziheng said thank you softly and left Jiang Yin's office.

When he got home, it was already eleven o'clock in the evening. Zhou Ziheng rang the doorbell on the opposite door and no one responded. When he turned on his phone, he found that he had received a message from Xia Xiqing.

[Little Rose: I have something very important today, and I might be back late. You should go to bed first. There will be a commercial shoot tomorrow. Good night. ]

On weekdays, Zhou Ziheng doesn't bother much about Xia Xiqing's work. Recently, he seems to be busy and is often away from home.

His birthday is coming soon. In the past, as long as he was not on the set, Zhou Ziheng would be called back to Xishan by his parents, but this was the first birthday after he was with Xia Xiqing, and Zhou Ziheng wanted to spend it with him no matter what.

Unconsciously fell asleep and fell into a deep dream.

In the dream, Xia Xiqing walked towards him pushing a huge cake.

He wrapped his arms around his neck as before, smiled savagely, and kissed him.

This dream was a little too real. Zhou Ziheng, who was immersed in the dream, could almost feel the touch of the kiss. It was long and moist, with the familiar fragrance of Xia Xiqing.

"Why do you sleep so deeply..."

Zhou Ziheng frowned and laboriously opened his eyes, and saw Xia Xiqing's beautiful peach eyes.

"Wake up?" Xia Xiqing, who was lying on top of him, smiled like a successful little fox, lowered his head and kissed his lips forcefully, "What dream did you have, so unwilling to wake up."

Zhou Ziheng rubbed his eyes, put his arms around Xia Xiqing's waist, and buried his head in his neck, "I dreamed of you." Xia Xiqing was still wearing yesterday's clothes, and the perfume on his body had already shown a warm aftertaste.

He didn't come back all night.

"Why are you acting like a child." Xia Xiqing touched the top of Zhou Ziheng's head, then rolled over and fell asleep beside Zhou Ziheng, sighing tiredly, "I'm so tired, give me a hug."

Zhou Ziheng took him into his arms and patted Xia Xiqing's hair. The two of them didn't say anything and kept their thoughts in the warm quilt.

Xia Xiqing's breathing gradually calmed down, and Zhou Ziheng released him gently, lying on his side and staring at him silently, as if staring at his most cherished artwork.

He thought that Wei Min would make a move, Zhou Ziheng was a little uneasy during the shooting of the commercial, but what he didn't expect was that he waited all day, and there was no disturbance on the Internet, and he was too calm. Various fan postscripts and videos of the previously recorded programs have been circulating wildly on the Internet. In addition, Zhou Ziheng's birthday is approaching recently, and the popularity of self-study CP on the Internet remains high.

Zhou Ziheng, who had finished shooting the commercial, returned home and found that Xia Xiqing was still not at home. made a phone call and heard that the other side seemed to be busy.

"Okay, I'll go there right away." Xia Xiqing leaned closer to the microphone again, "Ziheng, I might not be able to go back tonight, you should rest first."

"That……"

Then are you coming back tomorrow?

Xia Xiqing on the other end of the phone seemed to be very busy, half covering the phone, "Don't put this here, wait a minute, you guys wait a while."

After all, still can't ask, don't want to be capricious like a child.

"You're busy." Zhou Ziheng asked with a smile, "Don't be too hard, you must call me if you have anything."

The phone hung up so quickly that even Xia Xiqing on the other end was stunned.

At twelve o'clock in the morning, many artists and directors who had worked with them before posted birthday congratulations on Weibo. Zhou Ziheng was not in the mood to reply, so he put the quilt on his head and pretended that he was not online.

Sleepless all night. Early the next morning, Xiao Luo led his father's driver to pick him up. Zhou Ziheng had no choice but to get into the car.

"My wife said she made a large table of dishes for you." The driver was in good spirits and chatted with Zhou Ziheng when he started the car, "The eldest young master will be back later."

"Isn't he in America?" Zhou Ziheng looked out the window, absent-minded.

"The plane lands at three o'clock, and I'll be there to pick it up."

Birthdays should be celebrated with their parents as a family. Zhou Ziheng has always been a filial child, but now he is thinking about Xia Xiqing, and he is not in the mood to celebrate. Anyway, let him know.

Opening WeChat, Xia Xiqing's message bar was still silent, Zhou Ziheng thought about the wording and edited a few words.

[I'm going back to my dad's place for his birthday today, you...]

He deleted word by word and typed a new line.

[I might have to go back to my dad today, not in the apartment, not necessarily coming back at night. ]

I wanted to say a few more words, but my heart was blocked again, and even my fingers became sluggish.

"Why is such a big truck?" Ronaldo lowered the window, "Is someone going to move?"

The driver also honked his horn, causing Zhou Ziheng to look up as well.

"Hey, hurry up and drive quickly, don't block this door." The driver rolled down the window and said a few words to the other side.

Through the car window, Zhou Ziheng vaguely saw that there seemed to be many picture frames in the container with the door closed.

He looked up at the window and saw a man's face vaguely on the painting.

My heart suddenly panicked, as if struck by lightning without warning.

Could it be that Xia Xiqing is going to move out? What he has been busy with these days is moving?

He knew it was not good to think like this, but Zhou Ziheng just couldn't control himself. After entering the tunnel, the heavy shadow that had been brewing for too long in the narrow corridor suddenly covered Zhou Ziheng's face, dark and without light. He was thinking about a way out every day for Xia Xiqing and himself, but he ignored an important point.

Is Xia Xiqing like him?

It was he who took himself too seriously. Xia Xiqing had already said that he was only on a probationary period. Love during the probationary period can be abandoned at any time, and only I take it seriously.

After crossing the tunnel, the lack of autumn sunlight appeared again, lighting up every corner of this narrow space. Zhou Ziheng sent out the edited message several times, and the phone was automatically turned off when it ran out of power.

God willing. Zhou Ziheng pressed down the brim of his hat, and no one wanted to care.

When he got home, Zhou Ziheng reluctantly pretended to be happy at the dinner table with a smile on his face. His mother kept asking him about filming in other places. Zhou Ziheng was absent-minded and perfunctory, with something in his heart, and he couldn't be happy no matter what. Zhou Zijing and Jiang Yincai came back during dinner.

Jiang Yin took off her coat and handed it to the servant. After saying goodbye to her parents, she walked to Zhou Ziheng's side and said in a low voice, "Xia Xiqing just said that you didn't answer his call, so if I call you, it will also be turned off."

"I forgot to charge it," Zhou Ziheng only charged his phone at this time. Hearing Jiang Yin talking about Xia Xiqing just now, there was a little bit of a resurgence in his heart, "What did he say?"

"I didn't say anything. Just let me tell you, and call him back when I have time." Jiang Yin forked a small piece of cantaloupe from the fruit bowl of the coffee table and stuffed it into her mouth, took out her mobile phone, and lowered her head halfway. He said casually, "He seems to be quite busy and can't speak clearly on the phone."

Zhou Ziheng hummed and waited for the phone to turn on.

The screen just turned on, and before he had time to call him back, he heard Jiang Yin, who was sitting beside him, say, "Oops."

"What's wrong?" Zhou Ziheng turned his face to the side and saw that Jiang Yin had stood up, "Sister Hong, take my coat for me." She lowered her head and shook her head at Zhou Ziheng, "I thought Wei Min had not been there for the past two days. Movement is to give up, really, really did not expect."

Jiang Yin's words suddenly woke Zhou Ziheng, and he immediately logged into Weibo. The first article on the hot search list was written with a line of words.

[X surnamed Internet celebrity Xiao Xianrou is suspected of being gay]

The first Weibo post you clicked on was a marketing account. The text did not name names, but every sentence could correspond to Xia Xiqing.

[@Gossip Headline: Now the most popular couple of male and male CPs in the entertainment industry - the popular fried chicken actor X became famous overnight as an "artist". Fresh Meat is inherently gay and has had many same-sex couples. I don't know how another male star who hyped CP with him would feel about this incident? ]

Zhou Ziheng clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"I'll go back to the company right now, and I'll handle this matter," Jiang Yin put on her coat, "Zhou Ziheng, you're not allowed to go anywhere, just wait for me at home."

Xi Hui came to the new site of Pulito Art Museum by car. This art museum was originally a four-storey garden house. It was bought by Xia Xiqing and personally designed it as Pulito's new venue.

"Why are there so many people?" Although he had already estimated the pomp on the opening day of the art museum, Xi Hui was suspicious of reporters outside the car window, and instructed the driver, "Go down and ask, what happened."

"Yes."

As soon as the driver left, Xi Hui called Xia Xiqing, but the other party was still on the phone and couldn't get through.

It didn't take long for the driver to come back, "President Xi, there are entertainment reporters outside, it seems... It seems that it's because of Young Master Xia's private life..."

Xi Hui frowned.

"Not up to your expectations." He sighed and called another person, "Bring a group of people here and I'll give you the address."

Xia Xiqing never imagined that his opening dinner was only half an hour old when he was surrounded by a large group of reporters. He didn't even know why these reporters came until the assistant showed him the hot discussion online.

The Weibo exposing his sexuality has now been forwarded 20,000 times.

Seeing that all the guests were talking about the chaos outside, although Xia Xiqing was puzzled, he also pretended to be calm and calm. Before the collection, he said, "Everyone must be wondering why there are so many reporters outside."

Xia Xiqing had an indifferent gentleman's smile on his face, "This art museum opened here for fifteen years, and I personally participated in every detail of the museum, including the selection of guests, so everyone here today, They are all art masters and collectors in my mind, and they are people I respect very much.”

"The charm of art comes from inclusive freedom and emotional resonance. I have always adhered to these two points in my creation, so here I also want to explain to you that, like many famous people in the art world, I am also an LGBT person. member."

Looking at the comments of the guests below, Xia Xiqing raised his eyebrows, "I thought my sexual orientation would not be criticized in the art world at least, didn't I?"

As soon as this remark came out, the venue suddenly fell silent. The big hat was buckled, and no one dared to say another word, even those who watched the jokes who had seen the news on the Internet at the beginning were unwilling to put on "discrimination". ”, the charge of “not liberty”.

"Thank you for your understanding and respect. Then please continue to visit the museum. The first, second and third floors are open, and the fourth floor has not yet been completed. The staff will lead you, please have fun." Xia Xiqing said with a flawless smile. Enjoy and return the microphone to the staff.

"You are not allowed to go up on the fourth floor. If someone makes trouble, please go out immediately." Xia Xiqing instructed a few words, then took a glass of champagne and drank it.

The current situation can be controlled, but if Zhou Ziheng comes, it will be over.

Xia Xiqing took out an invitation card that could not be delivered from the inner pocket of his suit, looked at it, and put it back again.

"Call Zhou Ziheng's assistant and tell him to take good care of Zhou Ziheng and don't come to me."

In this kind of situation, PR is a dead end. Xia Xiqing knows that Jiang Yin must be helping her with PR, but if she just suppresses hot searches and related revelations, it will only be counterproductive.

It was getting dark, and suddenly there was a sound outside. Standing on the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor, Xia Xiqing looked down. A group of people in bodyguard uniforms drove away the reporters outside the door. In the distance, he saw Xi Hui's car.

The well-planned opening was so muddled, Xia Xiqing felt annoyed, and his anger disappeared like a tide. When the tide ebbs, a huge sense of loss enveloped him.

As the night approached, the guests left one after another, and even the staff left after get off work. Xia Xiqing just sat at the door on the fourth floor, smoking one cigarette after another.

He is not worried at all about his sexual orientation being exposed. According to his previous style, these things will be exposed sooner or later, but he is not willing to implicate Zhou Ziheng, let alone today.

He smoked a pack of cigarettes on his body, Xia Xiqing lowered his head and glanced at his watch.

Ten minutes to twelve.

He has never been so lost as he is now.

Step by step down the stairs, Xia Xiqing finally understood the feeling of loving someone. It's not the boundless sweetness when surrounded by love, but the momentary sense of loss when you find that everything you've done for him has become futile.

The empty art gallery is full of collections, which are invaluable and precious, but in his eyes, they are nothing but lifeless objects stacked in this magnificent building.

He turned around and closed the door, preparing to end the day where his stupidity and persistence lie, when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

"Xi Qing."

Xia Xiqing turned around in disbelief, and saw a panting man who had just gotten out of a taxi, wearing a hat and mask, covering himself tightly.

"Ziheng? You, why are you here." He had lingering fears and pulled Zhou Ziheng into the art gallery. Zhou Ziheng took off his mask, smiled, and gasped to explain, "I-I was locked at home by my brother, just now Looking for an opportunity to sneak out over the wall, I went back to the apartment, you, you weren't there, I saw this place on the news, and I wanted to try it to see if you were here."

Looking at the thin sweat on his forehead, Xia Xiqing suddenly seemed to have lost the ability to speak, unable to speak a word. He glanced back at the antique clock hanging in the hall.

The pointer has not yet reached the end point.

It's okay, it's still too late.

Grabbing Zhou Ziheng's wrist, Xia Xiqing dragged him up to the fourth floor and opened the door of the fourth floor. Zhou Ziheng was full of doubts, but he still noticed the cigarette butts on the ground.

"Why did you pull me up?"

Xia Xiqing opened the door on the fourth floor.

"Happy birthday."

The moment the door was fully opened, Zhou Ziheng was stunned. The entire floor displayed countless paintings, either watercolor or oil painting, the only thing in common was the people in the paintings.

Each one is its own.

"This is what I drew for you. There are ninety-nine pictures in total. From when you were young to now, fortunately you are a child star. Otherwise, I really wouldn't be able to record what you have always looked like."

Zhou Ziheng couldn't help thinking that the night he took him to the shooting range, Xia Xiqing pointed at the gun on his chest, and his jokes for a while.

[Buy all the paintings that Xia Xiqing painted for me, and bring them to my funeral. ]

Xia Xiqing walked forward alone, and stopped in front of an exhibit that was taller than him, covered with a layer of black silk, and the bright crystal lamp glowed with delicate light.

"This is also for you." Xia Xiqing raised his hand and gently tore off the silk.

In front of him, an incomparably white plaster sculpture appeared. It was a tall man, his face was facing forward, as if looking at something, a smile appeared on his three-dimensional facial features, as beautiful as ancient Greek classical sculptures.

He held a rose in his hand, tender and powerful.

"Happy birthday." Xia Xiqing came to him, "I'm sorry, I messed up your birthday." He finally walked in front of Zhou Ziheng, and took out a dark blue invitation from his suit pocket with a seal on it. The stamps are all a rose.

"I stayed up all night for several nights. I was thinking of inviting you today and handing this over to you personally, but I didn't expect you to be away, and... all these things happened again." Xia Xiqing lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembled slightly. "Happy birthday. My surprise sucks."

It turned out that he hadn't forgotten his birthday.

"I deliberately chose to open today. This art museum was named after my mother. I, I want him to be reborn on your birthday."

At the last second on October 20, he got the gift he wanted most.

Zhou Ziheng dazedly opened the late invitation, and a handwritten letter fell out of it.

[I give you the core of myself that I have managed to preserve—the core that doesn’t make words, doesn’t deal with dreams, isn’t touched by time, joy, and adversity.

I give you the memory of a yellow rose that I saw one evening many years before you were born.

I give you interpretations about your life, theories about yourself, your real and amazing being.

I give you my loneliness, my darkness, my heart's hunger.

I try to impress you with confusion, danger, failure. ]

The author has something to say:

Excerpts from the handwritten letter from Borges "What Can I Use to Keep You"