WP 13

It was Jiang Yibai’s first time seeing Zhen Zhen in person. He’d heard that Si Shaorong had a capable female assistant, but had never had the chance to meet her until now.

Back when the rumors first started, many people assumed Zhen Zhen was the Great Master’s girlfriend, his so-called live-in assistant. That assumption had hit Jiang Yibai pretty hard. But within a year, Zhen Zhen had publicly clarified that there was absolutely nothing between her and the Great Master, and even laid out her career goals. She was fully focused on building Si Shaorong’s personal brand and influence. At first, people thought she was just trying to deflect gossip, but in the end, it didn’t make sense for her to do so. After all, Great Master or not, Si Shaorong was still just a writer. He wasn’t some idol or celebrity who needed to hide his relationships.

Zhen Zhen had worked as a manager, comic assistant, and executive secretary. Her social skills were beyond question. She carried herself with a commanding presence from the moment she walked in, full of queen-like poise. Her looks were on par with those of actual celebrities, and it was clear she took good care of herself. Her calves were long and slim, and the exposed skin of her shoulders and back was strikingly attractive.

Too bad the two men sitting across from her couldn’t appreciate any of it. One was completely oblivious to anything romantic and had been single for years, and the other had no interest in women at all.

Zhen Zhen tucked her hair behind one ear, glanced at her reflection on the TV screen, and could only admire herself in silence.

“Nice to meet you, Zhen Zhen-jie. I’m Jiang Yibai. Pen name Jiang Luanyu.” Jiang Yibai brought over a pot of fruit tea. The matching teacups were blue-and-white ceramic, hand-painted with broad waves. The whole set looked retro and elegant. A small dish on the side held honey for guests to add if they liked.

The light scent of fruit tea spread through the room, complementing the warm, lived-in feel of the furnishings. Zhen Zhen’s opinion of Jiang Yibai shot up several notches. She could now understand why the Great Master spoke so highly of him.

Compared to the old “just surviving” vibe, this actually felt like real living.

Zhen Zhen took a sip from the cup. Since even the Great Master had given the guy his seal of approval, she figured there was no need to play the overprotective mother. They were all adults. If things didn’t work out later, they could just part ways. Rent was paid by the quarter anyway. As long as Jiang Yibai didn’t do anything over the line, it was probably a good thing for Si Shaorong to have a friend he could talk to.

With that thought in mind, Zhen Zhen decided to treat Jiang Yibai as half family and casually filled him in on a few things about Si Shaorong.

Zhen Zhen’s professional goal was to become a top-tier assistant. Her main job now was to build up Si Shaorong into a writer with real influence and name recognition. She handled his Weibo account, managed the comment sections under his works, dealt with contract negotiations with the platform, and liaised with the production crews for film or drama adaptations. Si Shaorong didn’t like getting involved in screenplay adaptation matters, so any script-related coordination or key points that needed to be communicated fell to Zhen Zhen alone.

Throughout the year, whenever the platform hosted an offline event or needed photoshoots or exclusive interviews, it was also Zhen Zhen’s job to pick his outfits and get his hair styled. Convincing him to leave the house even once was harder than all the games of psychological warfare she used to play with the pretty boys in the entertainment industry.

Her current job was no easier than being a manager ever was.

Back then, at least there was a full team. There were people in charge of publicity, operations, finance, and public relations. Everything had its own person. But now, almost every task had fallen onto her shoulders alone.

Zhen Zhen lifted her teacup, the arch of her carefully done American-style eyebrows shifting slightly. “The Great Master doesn’t use many things. The most important are his computer and backup hard drive. Everything else that matters is usually kept with me. As for his personal stuff, you don’t need to worry. I’ve got it covered.”

She paused, then asked, “I heard the two of you talked it over? You’re handling everything for him in daily life? And all of that is included in the rent?”

“Exactly. Otherwise, who would pay such a high rent for this place?” Jiang Yibai knew what she was worried about, but didn’t rush to explain. He just said, “We signed the contract yesterday. If you want, I can get it and let you take another look.”

“No need.” Zhen Zhen glanced at Si Shaorong, who was sitting off to the side with his laptop, completely absorbed in his own world. He didn’t seem to be paying attention to their conversation at all. She sighed and set down her cup. “I trust the Great Master’s judgment.”

Jiang Yibai gave her a smile, and a faint dimple appeared on his cheek. It really was a charming sight.

Zhen Zhen looked around the room. She noticed the piano under the window, and the guitar and bass placed beside the sideboard. No matter what kind of rumors were swirling out there, the impression Jiang Yibai gave off in person was genuinely pleasant. Slowly, she began to let go of her preconceptions and said, “There are two things I should clarify first. One. Do you have a boyfriend?”

Si Shaorong’s fingers paused ever so slightly above the keyboard, but he continued typing as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Yibai was still lounging in his lazy sofa, though this time he had scooted a little farther away, so he wouldn’t have to crane his neck to look up at the two of them. He kept that same relaxed posture, arms draped along the sides, and shrugged. “No. Why?”

“The Great Master had a falling out with a previous roommate because that person started dating someone.” Zhen Zhen didn’t go into detail. She just said, “The moment a third person enters this space, things are bound to get complicated. Especially since you…”

She tilted her head slightly, the implication clear.

Jiang Yibai chuckled softly.

Si Shaorong gave him a quick glance, then nudged Zhen Zhen lightly with his knee, as if to remind her to watch what she said.

Seeing this, Jiang Yibai’s smile became much more genuine, even the small folds beneath his eyes were showing.

Zhen Zhen paused before continuing. “I don’t mean anything by it. I just don’t want unnecessary drama or misunderstandings down the line. The Great Master’s road hasn’t been easy, and we need to protect his reputation.”

Jiang Yibai nodded. “I understand. I agree.”

“Then…” Zhen Zhen hesitated. “If you do get a boyfriend, how about we terminate the rental contract at that point? Would that work for you?”

Si Shaorong finally lifted his head from the document. “Why? As long as there’s no misunderstanding…”

“Great Master,” Zhen Zhen let out a sigh. “If he’s in a relationship, do you really want to hang around like an unwanted third party?”

She shot him a look, trying to remind him of the lesson he should have learned with He Jia. Was he really planning to let that happen again?

Si Shaorong couldn’t find a response for a moment.

Jiang Yibai looked amused. “What if my boyfriend and I don’t care, and the Great Master still prefers living here?”

As soon as he said that, Zhen Zhen’s mind flashed to all the rumors she’d heard about him. Messy private life, writing threesome scenarios, maybe even into playing around in real life…

She shivered on the spot. A chill ran up her spine. The thought of him dragging the Great Master into that kind of situation made her panic. She quickly said, “Even so, it wouldn’t be appropriate. That kind of setup is just too complicated.”

Jiang Yibai gave her a meaningful glance. He scratched his cheek and said, “It’s still too early to be talking about this. If that day really comes, why not just let the Great Master decide for himself?”

Zhen Zhen felt the atmosphere turn a little awkward. She gave a quick reply to change the subject. “The second thing is this. You’re not allowed to mention the Great Master on any social platform. No names, no photos, no videos. Anything involving him has to go through me.”

Jiang Yibai understood her caution. After all, there were plenty of people out there waiting to throw dirt on Si Shaorong. A little slip could turn into a big problem.

“Alright,” Jiang Yibai nodded.

Zhen Zhen then gave him a brief rundown of Si Shaorong’s preferences and daily habits, including some little details about his eating habits.

“He used to live with He Jia… oh, you might know him. His pen name is He Qi You Gu.”

Jiang Yibai clapped his hands. “Of course I know him. His mystery stories are pretty good. But the logic and deductions feel a bit forced sometimes. He seems more interested in the emotional side of things. The plots are engaging enough, but they don’t really challenge the brain.”

Zhen Zhen sneered inwardly. Exactly. The moment he got a girlfriend, he lost all sense of logic and became completely lovestruck. How could anyone expect a person like that to write clear, rational narratives?

“That’s the one,” Zhen Zhen said with a polite smile. “They used to share an apartment. They met back when they were both attending a training course in the capital. It was He Jia who suggested they live together, and the Great Master agreed. But with two grown men living under one roof, they barely kept things together. Most of the time they ordered takeout. Occasionally He Jia would cook something or bring some specialties from home. The Great Master doesn’t know how to cook and never paid much attention to what he ate. I would help clean from time to time, and when I was too busy, I’d hire a cleaning service. Once a month we’d do a full deep clean.”

“The apartment they shared wasn’t bad. The neighborhood was nice too. There was even a gym and a pool downstairs, though neither of them ever used it. Honestly, the living conditions were decent, but the quality of life was lacking. That’s why I…”

Zhen Zhen glanced at Si Shaorong, silently finishing the sentence in her head. That’s why I kept suggesting he find a girlfriend. At least women tend to be more attentive to these things. A decent relationship could improve the atmosphere at home. And if the feelings were good between them, they could support each other, maybe even warm the place up a little.

That had to be better than two nearly thirty-year-old men living together in silence.

Who would’ve thought that even after baiting him with the excuse of “gathering material,” the Great Master would end up being stolen halfway through. What kind of situation was this?

Zhen Zhen swallowed the rest of what she wanted to say and forced a laugh. “That’s why I suggested maybe moving somewhere else. A change of scenery, a change of mood, you know.”

Jiang Yibai had to hold back a smile. He already knew what Zhen Zhen had been planning back then. But since he’d already tricked them into this setup, there was no point bringing it up now. He kept a straight face and said seriously, “It really was just a coincidence. I’ve always had roommates to help split the cost. The last tenant moved out right when I heard the Great Master was looking for a place. I figured I’d give it a shot. Didn’t expect him to actually be satisfied with it.”

Si Shaorong rubbed his temples. “Stop calling me Great Master all the time.”

Jiang Yibai immediately responded, “Got it, ge. That’s Zhen-jie’s fault. She got me into the habit.”

When Zhen Zhen heard him say that, she figured maybe it really was a coincidence after all.

She had spread the word that Si Shaorong was looking for a new place, but she hadn’t expected Jiang Yibai to catch wind of it so quickly.

After chatting a while longer, Zhen Zhen checked the time and turned to Si Shaorong. “It’s about time. He Jia said he won’t be home this afternoon. We can go pick up your things.”

“Alright.” Si Shaorong nodded and stood up. Jiang Yibai stood up with him and said, “I’ll come help too.”

In truth, Si Shaorong didn’t have that much stuff. The only thing that really needed care was his desktop computer, so he hadn’t bothered hiring a moving service.

Zhen Zhen had driven over, so the three of them got into the car and headed to He Jia’s place. As soon as they walked through the door, a woman’s voice came from inside.

“Rong-ge? You’re back?”

Zhen Zhen’s expression immediately shifted. Si Shaorong’s brow furrowed too.

Jiang Yibai saw their expressions shift and immediately felt a jolt of curiosity. What kind of juicy mess had he just walked into?