Chapter 91 Are You Worried About Me?

A hint of amusement played at the corner of Su Chen’s lips. Before Han Jiangxue could recover from her momentary daze, he continued, “Actually, I never expected that my unintentional act that day would awaken the conscience of two paparazzi.”

“Maybe they felt indebted to me and ended up spilling some of the industry’s dirty secrets. From their mouths, I got quite a bit of dirt about Zheng Huayu and Meng Xiaotian.”

Han Jiangxue felt a surge of irritation for reasons she couldn’t explain, watching Su Chen’s calm demeanor. But she forced herself to suppress her questions and followed up, “...Dirt on Meng Xiaotian and Zheng Huayu?”

Su Chen looked at Han Jiangxue’s tense, beautiful face and secretly chuckled to himself. “Yes, and the scandals are each more outrageous than the last—they’re the kind that could land someone in prison, if not behind bars for life.”

Han Jiangxue’s curiosity was piqued; she pressed Su Chen eagerly, “What kind of dirt? Tell me quickly!”

“No rush,” Su Chen replied. “If I spill everything now, what will we do later? Let’s eat and talk.”

As he spoke, the restaurant owner brought over a platter of grilled skewers and set it on their table. “Here are your skewers! Let me know if you need more!” the owner said.

Su Chen waved his hands quickly. “This is plenty, really. Midnight snacks aren’t meant to be a feast—just a little indulgence.”

Just as Su Chen finished, Han Jiangxue called out boldly, “Boss, bring up two cases of beer for us!”

Su Chen: ???

Su Chen was flustered. “Wait...hold on...I...”

Han Jiangxue shot him a look, cutting off his words.

The owner paused for a moment, then broke into a wider grin at the pair. “I’ll get them for you right away!”

“Make sure they’re cold!” Han Jiangxue added.

“Of course!” the owner replied.

Soon, two cases of chilled beer were set beside their table, and Su Chen could only stare, his expression stiff.

Han Jiangxue nodded with satisfaction, fishing out two bottles and placing them on the table.

She said to Su Chen, “What’s the point in eating and talking? Let’s drink and talk!”

“But one case per person? Don’t expect me to take care of you till dawn!” Su Chen protested.

Han Jiangxue’s cheeks flushed slightly as she retorted, “It’s just beer, not spirits! Tonight, I’m determined to redeem myself!”

“Let’s make it clear—one case each to start. We’ll see who ends up taking care of whom tonight!”

With the awkwardness fading, Han Jiangxue’s mischievous spirit returned. Knowing that tomorrow was free, Su Chen’s competitive side was instantly roused.

“Fine, tonight we won’t leave until we’re drunk!”

“No leaving till we’re drunk!” Han Jiangxue echoed.

They bit open their beer caps, clinked bottles, and each downed half a bottle in a single gulp.

With the hot summer night wind blowing, the icy beer sliding down their throats, both felt one thing—

Ecstasy.

Beer in hand, skewer in mouth, they chatted idly.

“Alright, now that we’re eating and drinking, can you finally tell me the dirt on Meng Xiaotian and Zheng Huayu?” Han Jiangxue’s attention had never wavered from the scandals Su Chen promised, and she pressed him again as soon as they started.

“Didn’t you say you were starving? You haven’t even had two bites—has your appetite mutated?” Su Chen said, exasperated.

Han Jiangxue giggled. “You can eat any time, but if you miss the gossip it’ll go stale!”

Su Chen: “......”

“Truly, no matter the age, when it comes to gossip, girls have endless energy.”

Seeing Han Jiangxue’s eager face, Su Chen began, “Let’s start with Meng Xiaotian. Do you know why the Optimists, when they were at their peak, suddenly disbanded and Meng Xiaotian faded from the public eye?”

Han Jiangxue shook her head, her wide eyes fixed intently on Su Chen, afraid to miss a single word.

For a true gossip enthusiast, Su Chen’s words were like a little cat, scratching at Han Jiangxue’s heart, making her itch with anticipation.

“It was because the distribution of profits within the group became contentious. Meng Xiaotian was dissatisfied with equal shares, so he tried to establish a new standard.”

“But the other two members weren’t fools, so the three parted on bad terms.”

“However, as the founder and original leader of the Optimists, Meng Xiaotian had left a trap in their contract from the very beginning.”

“The other two never noticed, and Meng Xiaotian gradually lured them into breaching the contract. In the end, he used that contract to ruin them, leaving their lives in shambles.”

“I heard...when one teammate couldn’t pay back his debts, Meng Xiaotian demanded his teammate’s wife accompany him—husband’s debt, wife’s payment. One night traded for ten thousand...”

Su Chen sighed as he finished, shaken by the sordid tale.

Han Jiangxue was dumbstruck. “My god...I never imagined that’s how the Optimists fell apart. And to think I once admired Meng Xiaotian!”

“This is beyond disgusting!” She frowned, then voiced another question.

“Why didn’t the other two expose him? How can someone like that still be in show business?”

Su Chen replied, “Everyone’s circumstances are different, so their choices differ too.”

“At the time, Meng Xiaotian had a stranglehold on his teammates’ assets—frankly, their very lives may have been in his hands.”

“In such a situation, they couldn’t fight back. Exposing Meng Xiaotian might only cost him his stardom.”

“But have you considered what he might do to them? Money moves mountains and men...”

His words sent a chill through Han Jiangxue, goosebumps rising on her skin.

Su Chen had only lifted a corner of the entertainment industry’s veil, and even that glimpse of darkness was suffocating.

“So, Meng Xiaotian’s teammates could only endure, and Meng Xiaotian faded from the scene because of it, only now returning to the spotlight.”

After hearing the tale, Han Jiangxue felt as if she’d plunged into an ice pit, despite the summer heat.

Once she stopped trembling, she clenched her delicate fists and exclaimed angrily, “No way! We can’t let someone like that run rampant! I’ll expose him!”

“Don’t be reckless. I’ll handle it. But when a dog’s cornered, it bites—don’t foolishly try to expose him yourself, it’s not safe!” Su Chen warned seriously.

Someone like Meng Xiaotian was far from decent. If he found out who reported him, trouble would never end.

As Su Chen spoke, he looked up, only to see Han Jiangxue smiling at him, her beautiful eyes curved in delight.

“Well, well, Su Chen—are you worried about me~?”