Chapter 64: The Secret Photograph and a Cousin’s Intervention

Zhou Yue’s actions brought the rehearsal to a halt.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered around, eager for gossip.

“Zhou Yue, put your phone away. There are teachers patrolling the research building.”

President Luo spoke, his voice firm.

“We are still training. Don’t disturb everyone here.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yue showed no trace of apology.

Instead, her eyes widened in disbelief.

“How am I disturbing them?” she retorted. “I saw how hard everyone was training, so I just wanted to share something fun to help them relax a bit.”

“Wouldn’t you say your method of relaxation is a little inappropriate?”

“Not at all! Look, Mo Qiu doesn’t have any objections. President, you’re just making a mountain out of a molehill.” Zhou Yue glanced at him dismissively.

Indeed, just as she claimed, Mo Qiu remained utterly silent, seemingly acquiescing to everything Zhou Yue said.

Mo Qiu held no interest in Zhou Yue’s childish provocations; their entire attention was fixated on the photograph.

For them, a hundred Zhou Yues combined posed less of a threat than this single image.

Should this photograph spread, or worse, fall into Bai Chen’s hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The cacophony was overwhelming; everyone’s chatter, a word here, a word there, made it impossible for them to properly devise their next move.

Moreover, the gazes directed at them were so piercing, and Mo Qiu loathed such looks.

Mo Qiu decisively turned, intending to retreat to their own shadowy corner.

Yet, no sooner had they stepped away from the crowd than they were encircled once more.

Zhou Yue, still at the forefront, watched silently as the others surrounded Mo Qiu, chattering incessantly with questions.

“Mo Qiu, do you have a boyfriend outside of here?”

“Are your relations very good?”

“When you go out on dates at night, do you always go to a hotel?”

A question from one, then another, a veritable tidal wave of words threatened to engulf them.

Mo Qiu’s gaze swept across their faces, a hint of helplessness in their eyes.

Zhou Yue stepped forward, observing their expression for a moment.

‘Still no change. Is this person truly alive?’

Everyone present had displayed a fascinating array of expressions upon seeing the photos, yet Mo Qiu, the subject of the pictures, showed no emotional ripple in their ‘dead fish eyes’ (TL Note: A common Chinese expression referring to a blank, lifeless stare), as if the person photographed were not them at all.

‘No, this must be an act. Let’s see how long you can keep it up.’

“Mo Qiu, you still haven’t answered my question.” Zhou Yue stepped forward eagerly, her face alight with expectation. “This is you, isn’t it?”

‘Even if you deny it, with such a clear face, are you going to argue it’s a twin?’

“What if it is me?”

“It’s nothing, I just wanted to confirm.” Zhou Yue waved a hand dismissively. “By the way, who’s the other person in the photo? You two look quite close.”

“I don’t know him.”

“You’re lying, aren’t you? You two were chatting so happily back then.”

“…”

‘Next time they meet, Mo Qiu decided they would no longer give Xinleit a pleasant look.’

“I know everyone has a few secrets, but you gain more joy by sharing them.” Zhou Yue continued, “I saw you both emerge from that alley with my own eyes.

I think everyone has pretty much guessed what his relationship with you is, so why not just say it?”

Mo Qiu remained silent.

Zhou Yue sighed, a hint of impatience coloring her tone. “Are you worried we’ll mock you? Or perhaps you don’t want certain people to hear, like, say—Bai Chen?”

The instant that name was uttered, Zhou Yue clearly caught the subtle shift in Mo Qiu’s expression, feeling as though she had finally seized upon their weakness.

Just then, the door to the activity room swung open, and Bai Chen sauntered in, stretching languidly.

Having shed the constricting suit, he felt as if all the shackles on his body had been released.

“What’s going on? Why are you all gathered like this?”

As most eyes settled on him, Bai Chen’s expression froze, a momentary awkwardness coloring his face.

“Did I put my shirt on backward, or do I have something on my face?”

He quickly checked himself, only to find neither was the case.

He waved towards the young person within the crowd.

“Mo Qiu, could you come over here for a moment?”

Hearing this, Mo Qiu seized the opportunity to extricate themselves from the crowd and moved to his side.

“Could you check my back for me? I’m worried someone might have stuck a note on it.”

Mo Qiu paused, not quite understanding his sudden request, but complied nonetheless, their gaze sweeping over his back before they shook their head, indicating nothing was there.

“That’s good then.” Bai Chen, still appearing oblivious, walked to the table, about to pick up his script.

Mo Qiu’s mind was still churning, struggling to find a way to get Bai Chen out of this place.

‘He hasn’t noticed yet. This is a good opportunity; I must…’

“Bai Chen, I have a secret here. Do you want to hear it?”

“Huh?”

Bai Chen looked up.

Zhou Yue had already approached, and the others were slowly gathering around them.

“A secret?”

Bai Chen glanced at her phone.

“It’s not some scary ghost picture, is it?”

“How could it be? It’s absolutely explosive. Want to see?”

“Whoa, could it be… a lewd picture (TL Note: ‘瑟图’ (sè tú) is Chinese slang for explicit or suggestive images)?”

Bai Chen grew excited, eager to get to the bottom of it.

Standing behind him, Mo Qiu tugged at his sleeve.

Bai Chen turned and asked:

“Is something wrong, Mo Qiu?”

Mo Qiu was about to speak when Zhou Yue cut them off. “Come on, come on, take a good look!”

The moment Bai Chen’s gaze shifted, Mo Qiu’s heart nearly stopped.

He saw the photographs!

Bai Chen not only looked, but he examined them very carefully, his facial expressions changing wonderfully, much to Zhou Yue’s delight.

“Well? Isn’t it explosive?”

“Why do you have Mo Qiu’s photos?”

“I took them last night.”

“So, you secretly photographed them?”

“That’s not the point.” Facing his skepticism, Zhou Yue waved a hand. “Aren’t you curious about who the man with them is? You two are so close; surely you can’t be saying you don’t even know this person?”

After saying this, Zhou Yue eagerly awaited his reaction.

Anger? Surprise? Or perhaps disappointment?

Whatever the emotion, as long as she could witness a rift forming between Bai Chen and Mo Qiu, she would have achieved her goal.

But as each second ticked by, the expression Zhou Yue had anticipated failed to appear on Bai Chen’s face.

It remained too calm, as if he simply didn’t care.

“This person? Of course I know them.” Bai Chen’s nonchalant words, however, stirred a tempest in everyone’s hearts.

Even Mo Qiu looked up, their mind once again racing.

‘Bai Chen knows Xinleit? Then he must have known my identity all along…’

“Isn’t this just my cousin!”

Bai Chen suddenly burst into laughter, shattering the stiff atmosphere.

“My cousin even bragged about this to me last night, making me so angry I wanted to hit him.”

“…Your cousin?”

“That’s right.”

Bai Chen swept his gaze over their faces, then extended a hand. “Lend me your phone for a moment.”

After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Yue actually handed over her phone, watching as he dialed a number and put it on speakerphone for everyone to hear.

“Hey, cousin, what are you up to?”

“Sleeping, you brat! You woke me up.”

“Remember that girl from last night? Mo Qiu.”

“Oh, them? What about them?”

“They said they don’t want to see you again and told you to get out of Fengling City.”

“What the hell are you babbling about again? When you get home, I’ll teach you a lesson about respecting your elders!”

The other party slammed down the phone, and the dial tone echoed through the classroom.

The scene remained utterly silent, everyone present, including Zhou Yue, wearing a blank, dumbfounded expression.

Seeing their expressions, the tension in Bai Chen’s brow and eyes eased slightly.