Lu Ziqiu frowned even deeper. His words left Wen Zhi stunned.
"Those online comments only represent a fraction of the public opinion. Without knowing the full story, we shouldn't judge others rashly," he said.
Wen Zhi gritted her teeth so hard that she almost broke them. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Lu Ziqiu, unable to believe that he was defending Wen Yin.
Her fingernails dug into her palms, the searing pain helping her regain her composure. Forcing a smile, she replied stiffly, "You're right. We should look into the matter before making any hasty remarks."
Wen Yin fought back a laugh at the sight of Wen Zhi, who looked like she had swallowed a fly but was still trying to maintain an air of elegance.
Not only Wen Zhi but even Wen Yin herself was taken aback by Lu Ziqiu's sudden defense.
"Didn't you find out the whole truth this morning, Ms. Wen?" Wen Yin drawled, her dark eyes fixed on Wen Zhi. Her cold, clear gaze sent a shiver down Wen Zhi's spine.
"Mr. Lu wasn't here at the time, but you came to ask me first thing this morning. I even showed you the clarification post on Weibo myself," she added, her eyes glinting with amusement.
Wen Zhi had dug her own grave and now found herself in a bind.
[I didn't know Wen Zhi was such a gossip!]
[Is this just gossip? She clearly wanted to laugh at Wen Yin with Lu Ziqiu just now!]
[I know Wen Zhi hates Wen Yin, but can you please get your morals in check first?]
[We call people like Wen Zhi "gossips" in our hometown.]
"Really?" Wen Zhi forced a smile, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Wen Yin menacingly.
Wen Yin scoffed. Did Wen Zhi really think she was still the same pushover as before?
"I thought I made myself clear this morning. Did you not hear me, Ms. Wen?" Shao Yinan suddenly appeared behind them, having overheard their conversation.
He cast a cold glance at Wen Zhi, his eyes as sharp as knives. Wen Zhi immediately fell silent.
"I might have missed some details. I really misunderstood you, Ms. Wen," Wen Zhi muttered reluctantly, her teeth clenched. She was clearly reluctant to admit her mistake in front of the cameras.
She never expected Shao Yinan to come to Wen Yin's defense at this critical moment! Now she couldn't escape the blame.
Fuming, Wen Zhi stomped downstairs. Before leaving, she shot Wen Yin a venomous look when the cameras weren't looking.
Lu Ziqiu hesitated for a moment, his eyes fixed on Wen Yin as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
Just as he was about to speak, Wen Zhi called out to him from downstairs. He quickly rushed downstairs.
[Why does Lu Ziqiu look like he has something to say? What is he trying to say?]
[Could it be that Lu Ziqiu was also smitten by Wen Yin's look last night?]
[Wen Yin: I'll charm you to death!]
"Are you and Mr. Lu close?" Shao Yinan suddenly asked. Wen Yin looked up and noticed that his gaze had been fixed on her face for some time.
Wen Yin shook her head and replied without hesitation, "We're just strangers. Not close at all." Why would she be close to Lu Ziqiu?
Seeing Wen Yin's decisive denial, Shao Yinan casually averted his gaze, his eyes softening imperceptibly.
Downstairs, Wen Zhi looked at Lu Ziqiu with a pout.
Since all the guests were upstairs, there were no cameras downstairs.
"Ziqiu, I didn't mean to do that. You know how my sister used to be..." Wen Zhi was about to bring up the past when Lu Ziqiu waved his hand dismissively, looking exhausted. He clearly didn't want to talk about it.
"Zhi Zhi, there's no need to bring up the past. We were just kids back then," Lu Ziqiu said gently, still defending Wen Yin.
Wen Zhi's heart skipped a beat. This was not a good sign.
"Everyone makes mistakes when they're young, right?" Lu Ziqiu continued.
Wen Zhi bit her lower lip, her face as pale as a sheet. She clenched her fist tightly and took out something from her pocket.
A delicate and vintage ladies' watch lay quietly in her palm.
"Ziqiu," she said softly, looking up at him with a gentle smile. "I found this for you."
Lu Ziqiu's eyes widened in shock when he saw the watch.
Wen Zhi's eyes sparkled with pride. "This is the watch your sister sold. I know you've been looking for it, so I managed to find it for you. I thought I'd give it to you today."
She placed the watch in Lu Ziqiu's palm. It looked out of place in his large hand.
Lu Ziqiu tightened his grip on the watch, a sense of unease washing over him.
"I'm sure my sister didn't mean to sell your gift. Everyone has their own difficulties. Don't be angry with her," Wen Zhi said, carefully observing Lu Ziqiu's expression.
Sure enough, Lu Ziqiu snorted and his face darkened.
"Don't defend her, Zhi Zhi. She's not worth it," he said through gritted teeth.
Lu Ziqiu lowered his head, his eyes fixed on the watch. Wen Zhi missed the complex emotions in his eyes.
Seeing that Lu Ziqiu had returned to his old self, Wen Zhi couldn't help but smile triumphantly. She turned around and walked away, a smug look on her face.
Did Wen Yin really think she could change Lu Ziqiu's opinion of her in just a few days? Not a chance!
Lu Ziqiu rubbed his temples in frustration. He stuffed the watch into his pocket and sneered.
Fine, Wen Yin. I tried to protect you, but you threw me under the bus. How could you sell the gift I gave you?
Thinking about it, Lu Ziqiu's face darkened. He finally realized why he had been feeling so annoyed lately.
Why did Wen Yin have to sell the gift he gave her during their relationship? It was so infuriating!
Lu Ziqiu didn't realize that a hint of jealousy had crept into his heart. His thoughts were in a whirlwind.
After a quick cleanup, the show's producers announced the afternoon's activities.
Luocheng was a city renowned for its ancient charm. The nine guests could choose their own traditional Chinese costumes, styles, and accessories for a photoshoot in the afternoon.
Male and female guests who chose the same costumes would be paired up for a couple's photoshoot.
Hearing this, Qian Shuzhi's eyes kept darting towards Shao Yinan. Her mind was already racing with ideas.