Chapter 30

**”Breaking: Popular traffic-actress has been secretly married for nearly two years.”**
**”Fan count exceeds fifty million.”**
*“Illusion” wrapped filming at the end of October.*

After finishing the wrap party BBQ hosted by the director, Fu Yuan came over personally, and the next morning took Qin Mang away.

Now, finally out of the remote mountainous area with no signal, a flood of news came crashing in.

Popular actress, secret marriage, two years, fan base over fifty million.

Qin Mang’s Weibo followers had just surpassed fifty million.

A Tong read the trending topic headline aloud.

She couldn’t help muttering, “Who’s this capable?”

Maybe netizens didn’t know, but for those who were aware of Qin Mang’s marital status, the implication was obvious.

The car cabin was dimly lit. Qin Mang had grown noticeably thinner, lazily curled up in the wide leather seat. Her velvet black dress flowed elegantly down; her long hair was tied up casually in a low bun, revealing her slender and delicate neckline and shoulders. Her porcelain skin glowed. When she turned to glance out the window, her beautiful shoulder blades were strikingly visible.

They were currently descending the mountain.

The car wasn’t going fast.

Qin Mang admired the rolling mountains outside. Mist and clouds intertwined with dense forests, stretching all the way to the horizon like a majestic, expansive painting.

It made one’s mood naturally relax.

“Jie, look!”

“You’ve been nominated by netizens too.”

Suddenly hearing A Tong’s words, Qin Mang lifted her lashes and glanced at her, an elegant charm in her gaze.

Her good mood instantly vanished.

She accepted the tablet A Tong handed over.

What met her eyes was a glaring red “Breaking” character.

Her slender, delicate fingers slowly swiped across the screen.

It was a report by veteran paparazzi Wu Yanquan.

Wu Yanquan claimed he didn’t have solid evidence yet, so wouldn’t reveal too much for now.

This comment almost got him cursed to death by fans of various actresses.

But even if cursed, the buzz was up.

In the entertainment industry, what you fear isn’t being scolded—it’s being ignored.

The key point was, Wu Yanquan had been in the game for years. Every scoop he ever broke had been spot on. Every time, he stirred the industry.

If he said it was a top-tier star, it absolutely was.
If he said it was a popular actress, it definitely was!

So this time, when he hyped up that it was a current top-tier actress, the internet exploded.

Netizens cursed with their mouths but had already begun digging deep—curiosity always wins.

“There are only a few who count as truly top-tier. Eliminate the married ones, eliminate the not-popular ones—”
“Currently, including Qin Mang, there are three names on the list.”
“Damn, how did Qin Mang end up on the list too?”
“Oh my god, can’t imagine it. If Qin Mang really secretly married a regular guy, I might become an anti on the spot.”
“If I had that face of hers, I’d never get married! No man in this world is worthy!”
“Qin Mang, get a grip. With that seductive face of yours, you’re meant to make the best men on earth fall at your feet—then play with all of them without taking responsibility!”
“Hahaha dying at the comment above, but I completely agree!”
“Don’t you dare get married—marriage is the graveyard of all seductive spirits!”
“Historically, how many stunning beauties had a good ending after marrying ordinary men? Either they got their hearts ripped out or were skinned and soaked in wine!”
“…”

The reason Qin Mang made the list was due to her secretive whereabouts over the past two years. A staff member from Hezhou Film anonymously revealed that she often traveled alone and never allowed any staff to accompany her.

Clearly suspicious.

After reading it all, Qin Mang’s expression was slightly complex—was this praise or a curse?

Her red lips curled lazily: “The ones who end up with their hearts gouged out and skinned alive are late-stage love-brained seductresses. This miss… is smart.”

“They’re worrying for nothing.”

Next to her, Fu Yuan had been on the phone since they got signal again—contacting media friends, hoping to keep Qin Mang’s name out of it, or suppress the topic with other news.

But they underestimated both the netizens and fanbases’ battle power.

Especially the three names on the list—all had fierce fans, tons of die-hard followers.

Naturally, no one wanted the suspicion on their own idol, and soon fans were digging up rivals’ entire schedules from two years ago.

“Is that really the focus?”

Fu Yuan couldn’t help asking after hearing Qin Mang’s comment.

It was his first time experiencing how Qin Mang zeroed in on the oddest key point—no wonder Meng Ting had warned him.

Qin Mang felt a bit cold. Calmly pulling the blanket tighter, she unwrapped her sleep mask and said lazily, “Even if it’s me, so what? They said it themselves—no evidence.”

Fu Yuan hung up the phone and looked at her. “True, but it’s not about whether it *is* you—it’s that everyone *thinks* it is. The media thinks it is.”

“Over a dozen domestic outlets are waiting for you to return after wrapping.”

“At the slightest movement now, you’ll be watched.”

Qin Mang thought back to being swarmed by the media at a hotel last time. Her brows twitched slightly as she rubbed the now-warm sleep mask.

“So don’t go back to the Lakeside Manor for now.”
“Wait till the storm passes.”
“You’ve shot two dramas back to back. It’s the perfect time to rest and recharge. Until year-end, stick to variety shows and commercial endorsements. You don’t have a representative work yet, so you can’t disappear from the public eye for too long.”

Fu Yuan moved on to her upcoming schedule.

Qin Mang gave a noncommittal response.

Since she chose to be in this industry, she had to deal with it.

Though she lacked patience, once she decided to do something, she had to succeed.

But—

Even Fu Yuan, usually calm, was getting frustrated. “Do you have any idea who leaked this?”

Qin Mang was on the rise. She didn’t have a single official work out yet—if her secret marriage got exposed, it would be disastrous.

By the time her film released, people would focus on her relationship, not her performance.

Qin Mang’s gaze darkened. “Maybe someone who knows about the Qin-He family alliance.”

That person couldn’t say it outright due to the families involved, so they dropped vague hints to get the media digging.

After all, not many knew about the marriage.

Since returning to Deep City, Qin Mang had moved back into her pre-marriage residence.

As a top celebrity, her rest time was scarce and her schedule was packed.

After filming five commercials, three magazines, and two interviews, Qin Mang finally hit her limit backstage at a variety show.

Sleeping later than a dog, waking earlier than a rooster—even office workers weren’t suffering as much.

If the entertainment industry was this hard to survive in, she might as well go home and inherit the family business. Become a lazy heiress—or wait, a wealthy wife now.

She almost forgot she was a *married* young lady.

He Lingji’s name flashed through her mind—only to be suppressed by her brain almost instantly.

So—
Forget dreams.
Forget fame.
Forget works.

She needed beauty sleep!

Meng Ting quickly tried to coax her, “Aiya, little ancestor, after this variety shoot, you’ll finally get a break! Happy?”

He was blatantly lying.

He directly scratched out the unimportant items after this show.

As Qin Mang’s agent for over two years, he knew her temperament best—and this was clearly the breaking point.

Meng Ting showered her with praise, “We’re not treating you like a cash cow—it’s just to mislead those stalker paparazzi.”

“Look at the recent headlines.”
“The ones tailing you even praised you as the cleanest celebrity they’ve ever seen in private life.”
“Every day, it’s either working or going home—straight-line lifestyle.”
“A role model among modern actresses.”

Qin Mang shot him a cold look. “Swear it?”

“I swear!”

Meng Ting raised his hand solemnly, while signaling the styling team, “Come, come, glam up our most beautiful and hardworking actress in the universe—make her the brightest star tonight!”

Qin Mang’s eyelids drooped slightly. Under the stark white lights, her delicate, pale face looked even more flawless. She opened the show’s schedule and gave a soft hum.

“You better keep your word.”

Once this was over, she was *definitely, absolutely* going on a long vacation!

No more work. After catching up on sleep, she would play, shop, and eat to her heart’s content!

Suddenly, the phone placed upside down on the makeup table buzzed.

And then buzzed again.

Normally, this kind of frenzied WeChat messaging came from Wu Yuxi, but she’d recently flown to Antarctica to see penguins.

Who knew—

Qin Mang casually unlocked her phone, but her gaze froze the next second.

It was her childhood friend, Gu Qiyang.

**Cherish Every Delicate Flower**: \[Heard the young lady wrapped filming, huh? What a coincidence! Perfect timing to join my bachelor party. Tonight at midnight, Yunlan Clubhouse. You *must* come.]

**Bachelor party?**

Qin Mang thought for a few seconds and replied: \[If I’m not mistaken, didn’t I just attend your *fourth* wedding last winter? Already single again?]

**Gu Qiyang replied instantly**: \[NONONO, this is the bachelor party for my *fifth* marriage. I’m getting married tomorrow. I didn’t tell you since I thought you were still filming. Figured I’d just invite you to the *next* wedding.]

\[What a coincidence—]

Gu Qiyang, known in their circle as a famous playboy, used to date rising celebrities. Most people assumed he was just having fun, but unlike those careless rich kids, he treated every girlfriend equally—with marriage. Never a scumbag. This would be his fifth marriage as an adult—and this time, not with a celebrity, but an outsider.

He’s only been of marriageable age for four years.

Averaging one wedding per year.

*Next wedding*, my ass.

Qin Mang was speechless.

Marriage wasn’t a game.

But for *this guy*, it was basically his annual performance.

**Cherish Every Delicate Flower**: \[You *have* to come! I’m serious this time!]

**Little Lion Roar Meow**: \[…We’ll see.]

A staff member knocked on the door, reminding, “Ms. Qin, it’s your turn.”

Qin Mang tossed her phone to Meng Ting without a care.

No interest in dealing with Gu Qiyang.

He claimed to be “serious” for all four previous weddings, too.

—

Qin Mang was appearing on a very popular variety show called **“True or False”**.

It had become a hit in recent years for its live, unedited, and 100% real format, featuring the most advanced lie detectors—no guest could lie! Extremely thrilling.

Celebrities who dared to come on this show generally had a great public image.

Of course, *only* if they didn’t get exposed during the lie detector segment.

Originally, Fu Yuan didn’t want Qin Mang to take this show, no matter how popular it was.

But this time, the entire cast of *“Dreams of Old Beijing”* would appear together—it was the movie’s first public promotion.

Meng Ting thought this show would absolutely win fans for Qin Mang.

A cool and direct ice beauty—who wouldn’t love that? So he strongly urged her to take it.

Recording began.

Qin Mang had slimmed down a little recently, making her seem less intimidating. Today, she wore a milky-white retro hollow-knit sweater, soft and cozy, with a matching butterfly headband. She radiated a cool, transparent beauty. Yet with her dark hair and charming eyes, she remained dazzlingly stunning.

Most of the live audience was seeing her in person for the first time.

The visual impact was overwhelming.

Some were even stunned into silence, thinking she looked like she’d stepped straight out of a manga.

The guest lineup was full of old friends. Though it was Qin Mang’s first time on a variety show, she wasn’t stiff. She even handled the host’s teasing jokes with ease.

She wasn’t just a beautiful face, nor did she act aloof. She was surprisingly witty.

Just as Meng Ting had predicted:

Qin Mang would win fans on a show like this.

The show was live.

When it reached the most anticipated **“lie detector truth segment,”** excitement soared again.

The host had staff bring out the lie detector.

With a smile, he explained, “This is the latest model. They say its accuracy is nearly 100%. Dare to try it?”

“Sure!”

“Let’s do it!”

“Ahhh!”

The audience was even more excited than the guests.

Qi Rong, a bit nervous, tugged Qin Mang’s sleeve and whispered with her mic off, “It won’t expose how many hookups I’ve had, right…?”

Qin Mang laughed. Her already striking features lit up under the stage lights.

She said, “That’s probably a bluff.”

No lie detector could really be 100% accurate.

Except—

Qin Mang hadn’t turned off her mic.

The host heard her. “Mangmang doesn’t believe it?”

“Then you *have* to try it yourself!”

“Our lie detector is made *especially* for skeptics.”

Qin Mang looked at the sleek silver device with growing interest and stepped up. “Sure, let’s test it.”

If they were using a lie detector, might as well go big.

Audience members got to submit questions.

Someone asked: “I want to know if Goddess Qin currently likes anyone.”

Host: “You have three seconds. Three, two, one.”

Qin Mang calmly replied, “No.”

BEEEEEP—

A long tone.

Test passed.

No lie.

—

**He Group’s Scientific Instruments Division.**

**Technical Department Meeting Room.**

The lie detector, as He Group’s latest research project, was making its debut on the show—essentially still in testing.

All relevant personnel were watching the live segment.

The room was silent.

Cool-toned lights reflected off walls lined with cold metal strips.

At the head of the table sat a refined, striking man. His shirt buttoned to the collar, neat to the extreme. A pair of slim-framed glasses rested on his high nose bridge, giving him an air of restrained elegance.

His expression was unreadable.

His long fingers brushed slowly over a lie detector identical to the one on TV.

A low, cold chuckle slipped from his pale lips.

Secretary Cong had broken into a cold sweat the moment Qin Mang said “No.”

When the machine confirmed *truth*—

He was drenched.

Upon hearing that laugh, he didn’t even dare look at his boss’s face.

Cong Zhen stammered, “Maybe… the machine malfunctioned? Should we recalibrate it?”

The project lead exploded: “Secretary Cong, you’re not a tech guy—what do you know?”

“The detector is flawless!”

“It’s *way* more accurate than anything else on the market!”

“Even President He was smiling!”

Cong Zhen’s eyelid twitched, wildly signaling the tech guy.

I’m trying to *save* you here!

Smiling? That was a cold laugh, you idiot!

The tech guy asked sincerely, “Are you having a facial spasm?”

Cong Zhen: “…”

Can’t you use your dog eyes to see He-ge’s face right now?!

An assistant noticed Cong Zhen looked faint and asked, “Are you okay, Secretary Cong?”

He lifted his heavy eyelids and looked at everyone.

Wiped his forehead.

Sometimes, he really envied these clueless fools.

*Sigh—*

Bearing this secret alone was *exhausting*.

“Meeting’s over.”

The man’s cool-toned voice made the air freeze.

He Lingji got up and left the room.

The tech lead, finally sensing something was off, grabbed Cong Zhen. “President He’s not satisfied?”

Cong Zhen smiled faintly. “No—he’s *too* satisfied.”

Could you *not* be so overachieving?

A lie detector with *near-perfect* accuracy?

What place would the world have left for white lies?!

—

**Inside a private room at Yunlan Clubhouse.**

He Lingji didn’t join the card game. Instead, he sat idly on the sofa in the corner, untouched strong liquor on the table before him.

He hadn’t had a sip yet.

His black silk shirt had two buttons undone, revealing his flawless collarbones. His refined face had taken on a lazy, untamed edge.

His long fingers stroked the cold frame of his phone, his weary eyes gaining clarity.

He picked up the full glass, sipped slowly.

Ruan Qizhu, holding playing cards, looked around helplessly. Everyone here was a close friend, but he sucked at cards.

He couldn’t help but call out, “Brother He, come save your precious little cotton-padded jacket!”


He Lingji passed by without much expression,
uttering two monosyllabic words: “I refuse to save him.”

Someone asked, “What’s up with Brother He today?”
“In a bad mood?”
“Why aren’t you playing cards?”

As the number one internet surfer and Brother He’s little loyal sidekick, Ruan Qizhuo quickly pieced together a full set of logical conclusions in his head, then tossed the cards aside and came over:

“Hehe, is our Brother He feeling lonely in his empty room?”
“Missing your little wife who’s busy working?”

He had previously heard from Brother Rong about those nineteen days in Ling City.
Ruan Qizhuo noticed that He Lingji was idly fiddling with his phone.

Bravely, he snatched it away.
“Brother He, you’re too shy to call your wife, so I’ll do it for you!”
After grabbing it, he quickly took two steps back.
“This is when your little cotton-padded jacket charges into battle!”

He Lingji’s private phone was taken from his fingertips.
But the man, known for never tolerating challenges to his authority, merely glanced at him lightly.

He flexed his knuckles, and calmly picked up a bottle of liquor.
The transparent liquid, under the dim lighting, refracted into dazzling shards of brilliance.

*“Doo doo doo—”*
*“The number you dialed is currently on another call. Please try again later.”*

The sound of the rejection tone suddenly rang out.
He called three times in a row.

Ruan Qizhuo muttered under his breath, “Who’s sister-in-law talking to in the middle of the night?”
The flow of liquor abruptly stopped…

—

After finishing her recording, Qin Mang was being harassed by nonstop calls from Gu Qiyang.

She was just arriving at Yunlan Clubhouse, and snapped, “Why the hell are you rushing me? Get your ass down here and pick me up.”

“You’ve finally arrived, Princess!”
“I’m on my way down right now!”

Gu Qiyang was in high spirits.

Just as they entered the lobby,
Meng Ting, who had been quietly observing the surroundings, suddenly changed his expression.

**“Crap, paparazzi.”**

“Don’t take it off.”
Seeing Qin Mang about to remove her mask, Meng Ting quickly lowered his voice to warn her.
“Six o’clock—paparazzi.”

Qin Mang’s fingers, which were near her ear, suddenly paused.

What the hell?
Paparazzi ambushing a place like this in the middle of the night?

“Your friend won’t be in trouble if he gets photographed at a party, right?” Meng Ting hadn’t expected this either.
The paparazzi had been trailing Qin Mang for a while with no results, and there hadn’t been any movement recently.

Who knew they’d launch a sneak attack this late?

Qin Mang was about to say it was fine,
but suddenly remembered her childhood friend’s reputation in the entertainment circle.

She cursed quietly, “Shit. No way.”

Gu Qiyang’s well-known record of “marrying every little celebrity once” was basically public knowledge.
If she got photographed attending his bachelor party, the media would definitely twist it into “his fifth bride is her!”