Chapter 026: Is That an Admission?

Lin Feng and Qin Ruolin exchanged a few words via private messages on Weibo, after which she directly asked Lin Feng for his WeChat account, saying it would be more convenient for communication. Lin Feng sent his account over, and soon after, a user with the nickname "I'm Not Qin Ruolin" added him—it was clearly the nickname of the diva herself. To Lin Feng's surprise, Qin Ruolin's profile picture was actually the Jiangning team crest, which showed just how much of a diehard fan she was.

"My management team already has a preliminary response plan, but it requires your cooperation. Would that be convenient for you?" Not long after they became contacts, Qin Ruolin sent him a message.

"I’ll do my best to cooperate. So, what is your response plan?" Lin Feng asked.

"Before I explain our plan, can I ask you a question first?" Qin Ruolin replied.

"Alright, go ahead."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh..." Lin Feng stared at his phone, stunned. He hadn’t expected the diva to ask such a question.

"No," Lin Feng answered truthfully.

"That's good. My management team’s suggestion is that we don’t respond to this matter at all!" Qin Ruolin replied.

"What?" Lin Feng was startled. "No response? Wouldn’t that be taken as tacit admission? Isn’t that bad?"

Qin Ruolin was silent for a while before replying, "Alright, to tell you the truth, this is actually my own idea. Though the photos were taken by accident, this accident has really helped me out a great deal. So, for now, I don’t want to come forward to clarify things. Of course, if you don’t agree with this, I won’t make things difficult for you. We could issue a clarification together later. But right now, I really need your help..."

"You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?" Lin Feng was starting to understand her intentions.

"More or less, but we don’t need to go public with our relationship to the media. Silence is enough," Qin Ruolin replied.

"I see..."

"So, are you willing to play along with me?" Qin Ruolin’s tone was a bit cautious. Although she was the reigning queen of the entertainment world, when it came to matters of the heart, she still showed a hint of girlish shyness.

"I suppose I can," Lin Feng thought for a moment before replying, "Being the diva’s boyfriend isn’t exactly something to be ashamed of. However, there are two people I really can’t stand. Is it alright if I push back at them a little?"

"You mean Jiang Kai and Zhou Ziqian, right?" Qin Ruolin must have seen their posts on Weibo and replied, "If you can put them in their place, I’d be delighted."

"Alright then, with your blessing, I have no more worries," Lin Feng replied with a smiley face.

"Don’t call me ‘diva’ anymore, it sounds awkward. Just call me Sister Ruolin from now on. Didn’t the news say we’re in a ‘noona romance’?" Qin Ruolin seemed to be in a good mood and joked.

"Alright, Sister Ruolin," Lin Feng replied smoothly.

"Mm, such a sweet talker. But I won’t let you call me ‘sister’ for nothing—if you ever want to enter showbiz, I’ll have your back!" Qin Ruolin replied boldly.

"Well, that’s great! Sister Ruolin, I’ll remember that. Who knows, I might need your protection very soon!" Lin Feng replied with a hint of meaning.

"Don’t worry, my word is as good as gold!" Qin Ruolin sent a cool emoji, then added, "The show is about to start recording again, so I have to run. Talk later!"

"Alright, bye~!"

After ending the conversation with Qin Ruolin, Lin Feng logged back into Weibo.

In just that short while, his comment section had exploded to eight hundred thousand messages, and the number was still rising fast.

The fan wars had become even fiercer, and Lin Feng’s own fans had joined the fray. Initially, Lin Feng had become famous overnight, so he didn’t really have an organized fan club. But this time, the flame war had prompted his fans to rally together and call themselves “The Divine Maple Guard.” The first president was Lin Feng’s diehard fan “Wu Xiaonao’s Magical Castle,” who had called on other fans to unite and fight back against the fans of Jiang Kai and Zhou Ziqian, who were insulting Lin Feng on Weibo.

Since this was the Guard’s “first battle” after its formation, everyone was putting in their utmost effort. Led by “Wu Xiaonao,” they launched wave after wave of counterattacks against their opponents. Thanks to the existence of the Divine Maple Guard, Lin Feng’s Weibo comments—previously completely overrun—began to show signs of being reclaimed.

Just as the fan factions were locked in heated battle, the management company representing Qin Ruolin suddenly issued a statement. The message was brief, but once again stirred up a massive storm online.

Tang Dynasty Entertainment: Our company has never interfered in the private affairs of our artists. If Ruolin is truly in love, we will offer her our sincerest blessings! Note: Regarding Qin Ruolin’s romantic life, the company will not issue any further responses!

“What? That’s it?!”

“Is this... an admission by default?”

“In the past, whenever rumors about Qin Ruolin’s relationships surfaced, Tang Dynasty Entertainment would immediately issue a statement to refute them. But this time they haven’t. Could it be true this time?”

“This time is definitely real. You can tell from the tone of their statement!”

“No way, the goddess is really in love!”

“Whatever the case, let’s wish her happiness.”

“Lin Feng! A rival in love is an enemy to the death!!”

...

With Tang Dynasty Entertainment’s statement, the internet exploded again.

Although the statement didn’t confirm Qin Ruolin’s relationship, it didn’t deny it either. Given Tang Dynasty Entertainment’s usual style, the lack of denial meant it was almost certainly true.

The statement went viral in the blink of an eye, with reposts surpassing a hundred thousand almost instantly. All the major media outlets made it the top headline on their entertainment sections.

Not long after, there was a shift in the Weibo flame war. The Qin Ruolin fan club, who had originally come to attack Lin Feng, now actively joined forces with Lin Feng’s “Divine Maple Guard.” Both fan groups had now united against Jiang Kai and Zhou Ziqian!

After all, they were the ones in the wrong in this drama—what business was it of theirs if Qin Ruolin was in love?

Seeing his fans fighting for him, Lin Feng updated Weibo three times in a row:

Jiang Kai, Zhou Ziqian, we’re complete strangers, yet you both have hurled insults at me. Do you really think I, Lin Feng, am so easy to bully???

Also, my love life is none of your business. Who I date is my own affair—what does it have to do with you two?

Finally, from the perspective of a viewer, here’s my opinion on you both: Jiang Kai, please stop insulting my eyes with your utterly expressionless, dreadful acting! Zhou Ziqian, a creative genius? What have you created? Every song of yours has a foreign original. I think ‘Plagiarist Genius’ suits you much better!

...