"Tangtang, what's wrong with you?"
From the time they got up until now, Xiang Yutang had been listless. Zhu Zhengchu couldn't help but feel worried.
"Are you not feeling well? Did you catch a cold last night? Should I call the doctor over?" This was the first time this little girl had looked so dejected.
Xiang Yutang quickly shook her head. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm just... still sleepy!"
"Still sleepy?"
That didn't seem right. This girl had gone to bed early last night and gotten up so late today. Usually, she wasn't someone who liked to sleep much.
"Easily getting tired might mean there's really something wrong with your body. I'll call someone over to take a look," Zhu Zhengchu said as he was about to make a call to the private doctor.
Xiang Yutang stopped him. "I'm really fine! I just can't figure something out!"
"Hmm? What is it? Tell me. Maybe I can give you an answer."
Xiang Yutang scratched her head. The other protagonist was right here. How could she put it?
After much thought, she started her imaginary friend ruse. "I have a friend..."
Hearing her start like this, Zhu Zhengchu felt like laughing but managed to hold it in and waited for her to continue.
"She... dreamed that she kissed a male friend. What do you think that means?" She had spent the whole day searching on Baidu today, and all the answers said that she must have a crush on Zhu Zhengchu. But that was impossible!
Although Teacher Zhu was indeed handsome, gentle, and could sing, how could she have a crush on her master? In ancient times, this would have meant being drowned in a pig cage!
Zhu Zhengchu raised his eyebrows. So this girl had such a dream? Who was the guy in the dream?
"Your... your friend, what's her relationship with that guy?"
Xiang Yutang said euphemistically, "It's a relationship where if they fell in love, they'd be drowned in a pig cage."
It was true. In ancient times, a teacher - student relationship like this would have led to such a punishment.
Zhu Zhengchu guessed, "A teacher - student relationship?"
Xiang Yutang couldn't keep things to herself and immediately exclaimed, "How do you know! She and her master met while playing games. Don't think too much about it!"
Zhu Zhengchu smiled. Now he was sure.
"Okay, I know. I'm not thinking too much."
"Then what do you think is the reason for my friend to have such a dream?" Xiang Yutang looked at him nervously.
Zhu Zhengchu stroked his chin, looking as if he was thinking very seriously. "I think your friend must really like this master in her heart, and maybe she hasn't even realized this kind of liking yet, which is why this happened."
Hearing the word "like", Xiang Yutang was like a cat with its tail stepped on. "Impossible! How could she like her master? Her master is gay!"
Zhu Zhengchu's eyebrows twitched. His fists tightened.
Xiang Yutang felt that she might have revealed too much, so she closed her mouth and looked at Zhu Zhengchu pitifully.
Zhu Zhengchu skipped the topic of whether the master was gay and continued to brainwash her. "If it wasn't because of liking, how could she dream of kissing someone for no reason?"
Xiang Yutang retorted in a low voice, "Do you think it's possible that it's just a coincidence? No one can be sure about these things."
Zhu Zhengchu countered, "Then would you just happen to dream of kissing the director?"
Xiang Yutang's expression instantly became indescribable because the director was a big, greasy - faced fat man!
"Let's... forget about that!"
Zhu Zhengchu looked at her playfully. "Just admit you like him. It's not embarrassing." Great, it turned out this girl had feelings for him too.
"This..." Xiang Yutang looked embarrassed. "Maybe it's really just a coincidence."
"Then you might as well ask your friend if she's ever dreamed of kissing another guy in her life."
"My friend asked if Ultraman counts?"
Zhu Zhengchu: ...
"Anyway, your friend definitely likes her master. This is a fact that can't be changed no matter how much you argue," Zhu Zhengchu said firmly.
Xiang Yutang pursed her lips. "Okay, I'll go and tell my friend."
Zhu Zhengchu didn't say much more and let this little girl think things through on her own.
Xiang Yutang was in a complete mess. Did she really have a crush on Teacher Zhu? How could this happen! She felt sorry for Ultraman.
Zhu Zhengchu watched her shivering there alone and couldn't help but feel like laughing.
The two of them spent the day in silence. In the evening, Zhu Zhengchu took her out for dinner.
"You haven't eaten much all day. At least eat something. The French cuisine here is really good. I think you'll like it."
Xiang Yutang usually loved to eat and always had a good appetite, but today she clearly had no appetite.
Zhu Zhengchu asked, "Are you still thinking about what happened today? What did your friend say?"
"Ah... I'm not thinking about what happened today. I'm just wondering when the program will start recording," Xiang Yutang said, staring blankly at the empty plate in front of her.
At some point, Zhu Zhengchu sat down next to her and cut the steak for her.
"Don't think about those things. Eat something."
In the past, when he got close, Xiang Yutang didn't really mind. But today, she felt inexplicably nervous and moved back a little.
"Eat... You eat too..."
Zhu Zhengchu reached out his hand to touch her face, and Xiang Yutang panicked and moved back.
"Master, master, I don't feel well. I'm afraid I'll infect you. You'd better sit across from me!"
Zhu Zhengchu smiled gently. "It's okay. I don't mind being infected by you."
Xiang Yutang always felt that his tone was very ambiguous, but at the same time, she couldn't help but scold herself. It must be her own narcissism and self - suggestion.
"Tangtang, you're so cute," Zhu Zhengchu suddenly said.
Xiang Yutang trembled and forced a smile. "Just so - so. I'm the third cutest in the world." Actually, Zhu Zhengchu had praised her for being cute before, but this time it was especially strange. But Xiang Yutang attributed all these to her own psychological effects.
Just when the atmosphere between the two of them was very ambiguous, Xiang Yutang's phone lit up. She grabbed it like she had found a life - saving straw.
"Hey, the production team sent a notice! Let me take a look!"
Zhu Zhengchu was furious. What the hell production team! Sending a message just when he was about to make a move.
"The production team said that the rectification has been completed in the past two days. From now on, they will strengthen the security patrols to ensure the safety of all the trainees and mentors. All the criminals involved in this incident have been sent to the court. Hmm? Why isn't Xia Helan mentioned? It only says that she voluntarily withdrew from the competition."
Zhu Zhengchu took a sip of red wine. "Xia Helan can no longer make a living in the industry, so she voluntarily withdrew from the competition. Her family came to beg me not to expose this matter and gave a lot of gifts. I thought there was no loss, so I agreed." Actually, the main reason was that although the Xia family couldn't compare with the Zhu family, they were still a wealthy family. Zhu Zhengchu was afraid that if he pushed them too hard, they might take action against Xiang Yutang, so he decided to let them off.
Now the important thing was how to get this little girl into his arms.