MACRM Chapter 101

Only when Zhong Yao returned did Lin Zhu finally calm down a little.

The agent, still running a fever, tightly clutched his phone. The moisture in his eyes had only just dissipated somewhat, and both his eye sockets and the tip of his nose were red. As soon as he saw Zhong Yao enter, he jumped off the bed and threw himself into his arms.

Zhong Yao’s heart softened uncontrollably. He set down the tray in his hands and steadily caught him.

Lin Zhu held him tightly, refusing to let go. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head up and proactively kissed him.

The agent had always yearned for intimacy but lacked the courage to act on it, so moments like this were rare. Worried he might catch a chill, Zhong Yao casually scooped up his trembling lover, who was pecking unsteadily at his face, and carried him to sit together on the bed.

Zhong Yao wrapped Lin Zhu in a blanket and rubbed his head. “Alright, isn’t this good?”

While heating milk downstairs, Zhong Yao had already watched that video with the production crew. He felt the same deep emotions and pulled Lin Zhu closer into his arms.

“It’s all over now. Everything’s fine.”

Zhong Yao lowered his head and smiled, kissing Lin Zhu lightly. “Didn’t you see the comments? They were spot on. After stumbling along for so many years, I was just saving up my luck to meet you…”

Lin Zhu buried himself in his arms, his voice muffled. “I saw them. It still hurts to think about.”

Before he had even had the chance to grow up, Zhong Yao had already gone through so many painful things, met so many awful people, and spent three whole years alone in a foreign country…

Every time he thought about it, it hurt again. No amount of compensation would ever be enough.

Zhong Yao paused slightly, looking down at the tearful eyes of his agent, finally understanding what Lin Zhu was concerned about.

His entire heart softened completely.

All those unpleasant things in the past had long passed. Enduring them alone hadn’t felt like much at the time. When he first came to the U.S., he held himself together stubbornly — studying, furthering his education, following major directors around film sets, and gradually making his way into Broadway… He hadn’t done any worse than he had back home.

There really wasn’t anything tragic about it.

But people were just strange like that.

Even though everything had already healed, and he himself had forgotten whether the wounds once hurt, when someone carefully held them and gently breathed over them… it suddenly felt like they did hurt again.

Someone cared. Someone would never leave no matter what. Whatever happened in the future, they would face it together. The grievances that once felt insignificant suddenly seemed almost indulgent, making him want… want to be comforted properly again.

Zhong Yao lowered his head and checked the temperature at Lin Zhu’s neck, then laid him back down and brought over the milk.

Lin Zhu’s gaze followed him the whole time. Just as he lifted his head to speak, Zhong Yao gently kissed him. “Get better first, then…”

Zhong Yao’s ears grew slightly warm, and he coughed.

Lin Zhu was still running a fever, so tonight was obviously not possible. After the production crew finished filming for three days and left, maybe he could… comfort him again.

This time, the progress would definitely go beyond just using their tongues.

Zhong Yao honestly felt that he had been thoroughly corrupted by forum netizens.

Zhong Yao, now thoroughly corrupted, cupped his agent’s ears and gently rubbed them, clearing his throat. “Th-then—”

Lin Zhu blinked, unable to resist lifting his head, but Zhong Yao quickly covered his eyes.

Lin Zhu: “……”

Lin Zhu instantly understood.

His heart pounded, his whole body heating up under Zhong Yao’s palm as he stammered, “O-okay…”

Zhong Yao still didn’t finish the invitation, feeling it wasn’t formal enough. A bit disappointed, he insisted, “Then we—”

Lin Zhu didn’t dare listen anymore. He quickly wrapped his arms around Zhong Yao and took the initiative to kiss him.

…

Even when the doctor from the private clinic came to examine him, Lin Zhu still hadn’t managed to calm down from his flushed state.

On top of that, he had used too much force when kissing and split his upper lip, nearly scaring the poor foreign doctor into calling 911 for an ambulance.

The more the doctor questioned him, the redder Lin Zhu became; the redder he became, the more nervous the doctor got. In the end, Zhong Yao couldn’t stand it anymore and stepped in to explain, leading the doctor out of the bedroom.

Lin Zhu was so hot he could probably boil an egg. Weakly holding a cool towel, he grabbed his phone and slowly scrolled through Weibo.

The army of CP fans had expanded to an unprecedented scale today, unstoppable and overwhelming. The hired trolls and a small number of misled comments barely surfaced before being swept away in the massive tide.

The PR team barely had time to guide the situation and even tried to tone things down to avoid drawing too much attention.

Curled up in the blanket, Lin Zhu read through the replies one by one, his heartbeat gradually calming.

He pressed his chest lightly, still feeling a bit like he was dreaming.

So did this mean that they were public now?

Just like that… by sheer coincidence, they had gone public?

Lin Zhu pinched his thigh to confirm it wasn’t a dream, rolled over, and opened the message from the PR team.

PR: [Lin-laoshi, if you don’t release a statement soon, the fans are going to storm the studio.]

PR: [We tried to divert attention earlier, saying Zhong-laoshi went to the U.S. to film the variety show [On the Road], but now the fans are very clear. If you two don’t come back with a marriage certificate, they’ll consider the show pointless.]

PR: [Why not just get married?]

PR: [If you don’t, we’ll Photoshop one ourselves.]

PR: [Which country’s marriage certificate do you prefer?]

Lin Zhu: “……”

Not doubting for a second that the PR team could actually do such a thing, Lin Zhu rubbed his temples with a headache and flipped the now-warm towel over.

Getting married now was actually quite easy. No immigration or green card was needed, just a passport would suffice. However, there were still quite a few procedures involved, and completing everything would take at least two to three months.

Not to mention… he still didn’t know Zhong Yao’s family’s opinion.

For some reason, Lin Zhu always felt that the kind of family that could raise someone like Zhong Yao, even if they insisted on parental orders, matchmakers’ arrangements, well-matched status, and a grand, lavish wedding, wouldn’t be surprising at all…

Getting a marriage certificate would make it a truly serious matter. Lin Zhu had never even thought about this before, and now, caught off guard, he was suddenly at this step for the first time, feeling a bit unsure of what to do.

The PR team understood and kindly added: [It’s fine if you don’t register the marriage right away, but at least let Zhong-laoshi say something sweet, okay? The fans are all crying out for sugar. They can’t focus on work or school…]

Looking at the PR team’s message, Lin Zhu suddenly remembered something he had forgotten.

He quickly replied to them, agreeing to release a statement immediately. Propping himself up to sit, he opened Weibo and switched to Zhong Yao’s account.

Before coming back, Zhong Yao had told him that the clarification statement was already prepared, even set on a scheduled post.

Scheduled post…

Lin Zhu shivered, instantly recalling the fear of being dominated by trending searches.

Early in the morning, suddenly taking up half the trending list wouldn’t be great. With some concern, Lin Zhu opened the drafts, and sure enough, there was an unpublished Weibo post.

He tapped it open and scrolled through, his movements slowing slightly.

Zhong Yao had never been fast at typing on his phone, and he didn’t like writing long sentences. This time was the same, exceptionally concise.

Zhong Yao: [Yes, mine.]

After that were nine photos, of which he didn’t even know when he had been secretly photographed. Some were cropped, some edited, all carefully processed.

Clearly, they were all taken by Zhong Yao himself. Every photo only had him in it; some during the day, some at night, some of him exhausted and asleep on the table, some holding clothes and a lunchbox at the side of the set, and one was just his back as he stood in front of Zhong Yao, scaring off reporters…

Even moments like that had been captured.

Lin Zhu could roughly judge the time from his clothes and the weather. He looked through the nine photos again and again, his eyes growing moist.

He could almost imagine… what kind of feelings Zhong Yao had when editing this post.

Zhong Yao had never been good at hiding his emotions, nor familiar with all the messy rules of the industry.

From the beginning, Zhong Yao had wanted to go public. It was only because he cherished his career that he tried to learn, that he saved the post that he might have originally sent out immediately, waiting until he returned to discuss it with him.

Sometimes… maybe there really was no need to think so much.

Clutching his phone, Lin Zhu took off the towel and got out of bed, walking to the window.

The wind and snow were gentle, the stars shimmering.

It would be such a waste not to do something.

Without making any changes to the post, Lin Zhu took a deep breath and opened his older brother’s WeChat.

Far away in China, President Lin had just started a day of diligent work when his phone buzzed and the screen lit up.

Bamboo Shoot: [Gege gege gege gege!] 

His younger brother had been whisked away by Zhong Yao for a long time. Ever since Lin Song accidentally exposed himself by beating up Zhong Yao and then hurriedly fled back to Beijing, he hadn’t received any messages from his brother.

Finally being remembered, Lin Song’s eyes lit up as he quickly typed a reply.

Lin Song: [I’m here here here here here here!]

Lin Song: [Need Gege’s help with something? Say it, no matter what it is, I can do it!]

Lin Song typed much faster than Zhong Yao, feeling extremely accomplished as he hammered away at the keyboard. Just as he was making bold promises, his phone buzzed again.

Lin Zhu’s message popped up.

Bamboo Shoot: [I… I want to get married…]

Bamboo Shoot: [Can you come… and hand me over to Zhong Yao?]

Lin Song froze.

After hesitating for a long while, he typed with difficulty: [Hand you… over to Zhong Yao?]

Bamboo Shoot: [~(～o￣▽￣)～oo～(＿△＿o～)~]

Lin Song: “……”

Lin Song’s worldview took quite a hit, but he couldn’t bear to ruin his brother’s happiness. Swallowing hard, he clung to his last bit of hope.

Lin Song: [Then someone… will hand him over to you too, right?]

Lin Zhu replied instantly.

Bamboo Shoot: [No need no need no need no need!]

Bamboo Shoot: [Can you… just give me to him…?]

Lin Song: “……”

Lin Song put down his phone and violently beat up a life-sized Zhong Yao body pillow in his closet.

Unaware of his brother’s emotional journey, Lin Zhu felt as if a huge burden had been lifted. He let out a long breath, happily finished his milk, hugged Zhong Yao — who had only been allowed back after repeatedly explaining to the doctor — and fell asleep contentedly.

With the agent blushingly approving it, Zhong Yao’s Weibo post was published, instantly sparking another wave of frenzy and completely removing the word “suspected” from the coming-out trending topic.

The online sentiment was almost entirely one-sided.

While Lin Zhu was fast asleep under the effects of fever medicine, the studio, under Zhong Yao’s instruction, released the agent’s schedule for the year, from tickets, flights, to work content.

The densely packed tables left people speechless and completely silenced any remaining doubters.

Many fans quickly came to their senses and began worrying about the agent, who looked even thinner than during the initial livestream appearance. Lin Zhu’s Weibo followers surged, and his comments section quickly filled with concern and health advice.

At 10 AM Beijing time, likely in response to paparazzi photos, the studio released a set of new high-definition images.

Two chairs side by side at a dining table, afternoon tea by the fireplace, playing in the snow, a kiss under the mistletoe.

In the final photo, Zhong Yao held up a mistletoe branch, one arm wrapped around his still-slim agent, kissing him gently yet firmly.

The fans exploded.

Zhong Yao’s unexpected honesty, along with the fact that there was nothing unacceptable about the two of them, even led several production teams and TV stations they had worked with to break precedent and repost in support. The post quickly gained tens of thousands of interactions, almost all genuine blessings.

Lin Zhu woke up refreshed after his fever subsided, only to be startled by the overwhelmingly positive situation.

“Still moderating comments.”

On the other end of the call, the PR team spoke up promptly, reassuring the agent who suspected he might still be dreaming. “The paid trolls they hired probably haven’t expired yet. They’re still posting negativity, and we’re deleting in real time.”

The PR team didn’t even have time to ship the couple. They watched fans celebrating like it was a festival, growing increasingly frustrated. “So annoying. Finally something happy, and I didn’t even get to watch half the ‘may you last forever’ fan videos…”

Lin Zhu chuckled, coughing lightly. “Thanks for your hard work. I’ll give you a bonus and an extra week of vacation.”

“Not happening.” The PR team didn’t believe him at all. “You said that last time too… That was the most unforgettable Mid-Autumn Festival of my life.”

Lin Zhu: “……”

Unable to deny it, Lin Zhu switched to the backend, glanced at the incoming negative comments, and thought for a moment. “Stop moderating for now. Take a break.”

The PR team froze mid-typing, confused. “Huh?”

Zhong Yao had gone to audition and do some procurement for the crew, making up for yesterday’s interrupted shoot. Lin Zhu, ordered by the doctor not to go out, stayed wrapped in a warm blanket, sipping the milk tea Zhong Yao had made and nibbling on a flaky pastry.

It was late at night, and the PR team, starving: “……”

Lin Zhu, blissfully unaware of their suffering, scrolled the mouse. “How’s the account tracing? Did you find evidence from Song Tianlang’s side?”

“Found it already. They were stingy. Even the troll army wasn’t big enough. Some die-hard fans got mobilized. Among the accounts you told us to check, one idiot used a backup account linked to their main…”

The PR team chuckled, briefly explaining before asking again, “Really not moderating? Look at those comments, they’re pretty harsh…”

Lin Zhu switched back to the homepage.

Since it was rare for celebrities to admit paparazzi photos so openly, the hired trolls and media were thrown off balance. Their prepared smear narratives had nowhere to fit, so they resorted to random attacks, nitpicking details in the photos.

Without moderation, negative comments began to resurface.

[Where is this place? Looks messy. Didn’t they say they went to the U.S. for filming? Partying and clubbing instead?]

[Those women look pretty… so they’re escorts? Maybe even drugs too? Zhong-laoshi, you really know how to have fun~]

[Too eager, huh? Showing off love without realizing your “serious guy” persona collapsed?]

[LMAO and fans still blindly praising him?]

…

At first, the comments weren’t obvious, but as they increased, fans started to worry.

[Wait… does anyone know where this is? Did he really go for filming?]

[Looks like a party. Now I’m kinda worried, is this too much?]

[Doesn’t match his personality. Maybe arranged by the show? Don’t jump to conclusions yet…]

[But “On the Road” is about life reflections…]

[The sugar is nice, but this is questionable. Isn’t it daytime in the U.S.? Can’t Zhong-laoshi or Lin-laoshi explain?]

As more people got misled, trolls seized the opportunity and flooded in with mockery.

The PR team grew anxious. “Lin-laoshi!”

Lin Zhu calmly shook his head. “No rush… wait five more minutes.”

The PR team didn’t understand but stayed on edge.

Lin Zhu scrolled through his contacts, found an unused number, and sent a few messages. The other side quickly replied with a dozen excited “yes.”

He took another sip of milk tea and kept refreshing.

He wasn’t unprepared. If no one noticed, they had backup measures ready.

Seconds ticked by. Lin Zhu counted silently and finished his drink.

After a page refresh, a new comment appeared.

[??? Open your eyes, people! That “pretty woman” in the background is Heidi Dodge[mfn]her name in Chinese is 海蒂·道奇 Hǎidì Dàoqí[/mfn]! Oscar-level leading actress, rumored to star in Marlensius’ new film, the same one Song Tianlang claimed he’d get the lead in!!]

“Boost this comment…” Lin Zhu raised an eyebrow, took a screenshot, and set down his cup. “Go light the fuse under Song Tianlang. We don’t need to manage Weibo anymore.”