WST Extra 1

Extra 1

Before bringing Zong Ye back home, Jiang Chuyi first took him to meet Dan Wanwan.

The young girl hadn’t even graduated from college yet, but to make a good impression for her sister, she chose a very formal Chanel gown.

Sitting in the reserved restaurant half an hour early, Dan Wanwan gulped down half a glass of ice water.

After waiting and waiting with no sign of them, she messaged her friend: “I’m about to meet Zong Ye.”

Friend: “You’ve been talking about this for a week, and now you’re nervous? Didn’t you say you’d be cool and casual?”

Dan Wanwan refused to admit she was nervous.

Well, maybe a little, at most.

So she replied: “Wouldn’t you be nervous about having dinner with someone you’ve been cursing for years?”

Friend: “Remember not to get infatuated with your enemy. Don’t embarrass your bias.”

Dan Wanwan smirked coldly and angrily gulped another mouthful of water.

When Zong Ye arrived, she would make sure to give him a good “taking down a peg.”

She, Dan Wanwan, was a seasoned fan. With several biases and countless casual interests, she had followed many events big and small, and had seen so many handsome men and beautiful women they were like fish crossing a river—what storms hadn’t she weathered?

Getting infatuated with Zong Ye?

That was the biggest joke ever—

The water she hadn’t yet swallowed caught in her throat, and Dan Wanwan’s indignant thoughts were cut short the moment she saw her cousin, and the man following behind her.

For no reason at all, three words flashed across Dan Wanwan’s mind.

Holy. Freaking. Crap.

In that split second, what popped into Dan Wanwan’s mind was that even when she and her friends had been feuding and cursing Zong Ye up and down from head to toe, going back and forth about his ancestors for eighteen generations, they had never cursed his face.

There was a reason for that.

That mouthful of ice water she hadn’t finished swallowing successfully made her choke, and Dan Wanwan coughed breathlessly.

Soon, a hand reached out with a tissue, accompanied by that deep, gentle voice: “Are you alright?”

Dan Wanwan nearly passed out.

Jiang Chuyi was startled, put down her bag, and patted her back: “Wanwan, what’s wrong?”

Off to a bad start, her dignity completely lost, Dan Wanwan covered her mouth with the tissue and weakly shook her head.

…

…

Life is unpredictable. Dan Wanwan never imagined that one day she would be sitting at the same table having dinner with Zong Ye.

She had seen him before, but only from a distance. He was always surrounded by many people—fans, bodyguards, and various staff members.

Face to face at such close proximity—that had never happened before.

Dan Wanwan thought her self-control was quite strong.

Faced with this eye-catching face, unavoidable whether she looked up or down, she managed not to get infatuated.

After all, her iron-blooded anti-fan persona was still intact.

Dan Wanwan’s feelings were extremely complicated.

On one hand, Zong Ye was already her cousin’s confirmed boyfriend, their relationship announced with great fanfare, and now he was practically her “relative.” But on the other hand, Dan Wanwan’s bias was one of countless victims bullied by Zong Ye’s fans, and for that, she had even created several alt accounts to criticize him.

Dan Wanwan had once discussed him with prejudice among her girlfriends.

Zong Ye definitely doesn’t look as good as his retouched photos, and his private life must be a mess.

Being professional and not putting on airs is just his public image—only fans would believe it.

Those messy rumors that IM paid to suppress about Zong Ye—only brainless fans wouldn’t believe them.

There aren’t many good men in this world to begin with, and the entertainment industry is even worse.

Standing from the perspective of both family member and anti-fan, Dan Wanwan felt certain she could find plenty of faults with Zong Ye, and then she would patiently persuade Jiang Chuyi to think more carefully about her lifelong decision.

Round One.

Under Jiang Chuyi’s urging, Dan Wanwan reluctantly handed Zong Ye a gift.

A men’s wristwatch.

Zong Ye thanked her with a smile and exchanged greeting gifts with her.

She couldn’t understand why Zong Ye was so happy—this watch wasn’t even worth a fraction of the one he was wearing.

But it felt nice to have a gift appreciated. Dan Wanwan reluctantly gave him a passing grade in her heart.

Round Two.

Pretending to be curious, Dan Wanwan intentionally asked Zong Ye many questions about his past in the entertainment circle.

Zong Ye answered her “attacking” questions thoughtfully and carefully, without any impatience. Although Dan Wanwan was younger, his attitude was very respectful, and he didn’t speak to her with the condescension often shown to younger women. Not only that, Zong Ye was very different from the male friends she knew—he was proper, and even during awkward silences, he wouldn’t easily make greasy jokes to ease the atmosphere.

Well… it seemed Zong Ye’s character was actually decent… at least he wasn’t pretentious, and his temperament was genuinely good.

Round Three.

Dan Wanwan sat upright, quietly observing the interaction pattern between Jiang Chuyi and Zong Ye.

No matter what Jiang Chuyi said or did, Zong Ye’s gaze always remained on her. And he took care of her very skillfully, wiping her hands with wet wipes, noticing her every small need.

Only occasionally when chatting with Dan Wanwan or speaking to the waiters would he shift his gaze, politely making eye contact with them.

Dan Wanwan struggled to look away.

She couldn’t watch anymore. If she kept looking, she might switch sides… all her previous bold declarations to her friend would be wasted.

Nevertheless, Dan Wanwan’s softening attitude toward Zong Ye was quite obvious. Under Jiang Chuyi’s strong suggestive glances, she reluctantly called him “Brother-in-law,” and immediately blushed, not knowing why she was embarrassed, and changed the subject by complaining to Jiang Chuyi about the hardships of her studies, how she’d probably fail her finals again, and was unsure if she could pass the makeup exams next year…

While Zong Ye went to answer a call, Jiang Chuyi asked Dan Wanwan, “So, what do you think?”

Dan Wanwan wavered, reluctantly saying: “Just so-so.”

Jiang Chuyi smiled knowingly: “So that means he’s not bad?”

Dan Wanwan remained silent.

Jiang Chuyi had an I-told-you-so expression: “I already said Zong Ye is much better than you imagined. You’re just too prejudiced.”

Determined not to be a fence-sitter, Dan Wanwan awkwardly picked a flaw: “Men as gentle and good-tempered as Zong Ye aren’t fashionable anymore. In novels and TV dramas, they can only get the second male lead role and generally can’t win against the male lead.”

The latter half of her comment happened to be overheard by the man behind her.

Zong Ye smiled: “What are you talking about?”

Jiang Chuyi glanced at her cousin and deliberately said, “We’re talking about you. My sister says that good-tempered men aren’t popular anymore—in novels, they can only be the second male lead.”

Zong Ye seemed to have developed some curiosity and asked: “Then what’s the male lead usually like?”

Dan Wanwan spoke assertively: “Have you seen ‘Meteor Garden’? The male lead in it is arrogant and especially likes to bully the female lead. The second male lead has a good temper and is talented in many ways—he even plays the violin—but the female lead just likes bad boys.”

Zong Ye was quiet for a moment before asking Jiang Chuyi: “Have you seen this drama?”

“Yes, I have.”

Dan Wanwan followed with another dig: “When my cousin and I were following the drama, we both supported the official couple.”

Zong Ye looked like he had learned something new.

…

…

After finishing dinner, Dan Wanwan quietly followed behind the couple. She sneakily glanced at the person beside her, thinking… Brother-in-law is quite tall, even taller than her athlete ex-boyfriend.

While waiting for the elevator, Dan Wanwan idly asked, “Sis, have you seen that Korean drama?”

“Which Korean drama?”

“‘My Girl.’ There’s a scene where if you hold your breath for one minute and forty seconds while the elevator descends, your wish will come true.”

Jiang Chuyi made a sound of acknowledgment and was about to put on her elder’s demeanor to tell her to focus on her studies and watch fewer idol dramas, when the elevator door opened.

As they walked in, Zong Ye raised his wrist to check his watch.

Dan Wanwan blurted out: “You’re not really going to try it, are you?”

Zong Ye tilted his head and calmly said: “Hmm? One minute and forty seconds doesn’t seem too difficult.”

“What wish are you going to make?”

He thought for a moment, then smiled and said: “I’ll wish for you to pass your final exams, and I’ll wish that your sister always likes gentler men.”

Dan Wanwan’s eyes widened.

This was actually… flirting…

Dan Wanwan couldn’t help but look at Jiang Chuyi.

Her cousin was indeed her cousin, appearing immune to this level of sweet talk.

After Dan Wanwan left, Zong Ye took Jiang Chuyi’s hand and said somewhat seriously: “But whatever type you like, I can learn to be that.”

Jiang Chuyi didn’t respond.

The two walked to the parking lot.

Zong Ye casually asked: “Chuyi, would you like a more bad-boy type of man?”

What a petty concern.

Jiang Chuyi squeezed his hand. “Don’t underestimate yourself. Others might not know, but I’m well aware—Zong Ye, you’re bad enough already.”

He confirmed once more: “As bad as that male lead?”

“He’d have to bow down to you.”

Zong Ye smiled.

…

…

A couple of days after that dinner with Dan Wanwan, on a quiet night, several well-known anti-Zong Ye accounts announced their closure.

Before disappearing, the account owners left one final message on the internet: [From today onwards, I forgive the world and retire]

When Zong Ye had left the entertainment circle, several fan accounts had gradually closed down, leaving only a few anti accounts continuing their efforts, inevitably making people sigh that hatred lasts longer than love. Now that these major anti accounts were also shutting down, leaving the group leaderless, confused friends sent messages to the group chat.

The account owner appeared in the small group: “Being an anti-fan is beneath my dignity”

Then they posted several “Zong-Chu” relationship clips in succession: “Sisters, watch these overnight. Nothing more to say, just eight words: If you don’t ship them, you’re not Chinese!!”