Chapter 127: The White Swan

Before Wang Fei could even finish his sentence, a sharp pain shot through his ear. His manager, a woman, had immediately adopted Su Xiaolin's tactic, twisting his ear with practiced ease. Due to the height difference, she had to stand on her tiptoes just to reach his six-foot frame.

"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts!"

"Old man! How old are you, still hanging out with these youngsters all day? Is drinking that fun? Do you want me to order you a few more bottles?!"

"Don't you know that hard liquor ruins your throat? If you ruin your voice, how are you going to sing?"

Under the barrage of his manager's tongue-lashing, Wang Fei surrendered completely. He quickly admitted his wrongdoing, trailing behind her and apologizing profusely until she finally calmed down a bit. However, they waited until Si Shaozhe and his manager had departed before they made their own exit.

"Seriously, Yue, can we just talk like civilized people next time? No need to get physical."

"Otherwise, how am I supposed to face my fans tomorrow? If they suspect I'm using their money to support a secret girlfriend, how am I going to survive in this industry?"

A pleasant smile masked his manager's face. "Don't worry about that. In short, as an artist, you must follow company regulations and protect your image. No overeating, no overdrinking, and since you're a singer, you absolutely must protect your voice. Got it?"

Yue gave him a few more warnings before leading him away.

"The girl who gave you that massage just now was quite pretty," she remarked.

"Which one? I didn't really look. I had too much to drink."

"I told you to drink less, but you just wouldn't listen. Don't you know people worry about you?"

"Yue..."

"Yes?"

"Aren't you overstepping? I already have someone I like. I told you that."

"I know, but I've been with you for five years. You..."

"Our relationship is strictly professional. Don't cross the line."

"..."

Upon leaving the spa, Su Xiaolin immediately dragged Lin Yu back to the hotel to rest. With the competition scheduled for early the next morning, she was deeply concerned about his heavy drinking. Whether he could wake up in time wasn't the main issue; her real fear was that he would show up in a daze and be criticized for showing disrespect to the competition.

In the hotel room, Su Xiaolin helped Lin Yu organize his gear for the next day. When he emerged from the bathroom with a flushed face, she frowned. Stepping closer, she pressed a hand to his forehead to make sure he didn't have a fever, before asking, "Is your heart rate elevated?"

She sighed helplessly before he could answer. "Never mind. I'll go ask the hotel staff for a thermometer and a heart rate monitor."

Lin Yu was baffled.

"People who have been drinking, especially those who are drunk, shouldn't take hot showers. It can easily trigger all sorts of medical emergencies. The competition is tomorrow; I can't let anything happen to you tonight."

Lin Yu's mind was still in a fog, making it hard to process things clearly, but he had to admit she made sense. Anyone with basic common sense knew that showering after drinking carried risks like cerebral congestion. Passing out in the bathroom would be a disaster.

"But I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?" Lin Yu teased. "Sister Lin, why do I get the feeling you've suddenly started caring about me a lot?"

Hearing his teasing tone, Su Xiaolin rolled her eyes. "If I weren't your manager, do you think I'd give you the time of day?"

She let out a huff. "Make sure you get some proper rest tonight. Don't show up to the show tomorrow looking like a zombie. I'll have the butler bring up some milk. Make sure to drink it when it gets here; it'll help sober you up and soothe your stomach."

Just as she finished speaking, a knock sounded at the door. Room service had arrived, and the butler presented a glass of warm milk.

"We heard you had some alcohol, sir. Warm milk is good for the stomach. Please take care of yourself."

The butler was indeed attentive, remembering to offer a gentle reminder. Lin Yu could only offer a groggy grunt in response, his head too foggy to formulate a proper reply.

Fortunately, a clear-headed Su Xiaolin stood beside him and said, "Thank you."

Once the butler left, Su Xiaolin went over a few key points to keep in mind for the show before taking her leave.

The night passed without incident. When Lin Yu woke up the next morning, he stretched lazily.

To his surprise, he didn't have a headache at all. It felt almost miraculous. He had expected his head to be spinning.

But if he remembered correctly, high-quality alcohol wouldn't cause a hangover headache the next day. It was only cheap, counterfeit alcohol that left one with a splitting headache and general discomfort.

From that perspective, the price of 3,999 wasn't actually that expensive—at least it didn't wreck his body.

He got out of bed, did his usual morning cardio, and drank a cup of coffee to wake himself up. Shortly after, he boarded the production crew's shuttle van and headed to the filming location.

In the dressing room, only a few familiar faces remained after several contestants had been eliminated.

Lin Yu's arrival didn't attract much attention. People simply nodded or exchanged polite, brief greetings out of formality.

Xu Mengbai, who had just arrived, bounced over to chat with him.

"What is our big star performing today?"

In the mirror's reflection, Lin Yu saw Xu Mengbai wearing a pure white swan outfit. It made her look like a fairy, her slender legs clad in white stockings, making her practically glow.

Many people in the dressing room were drawn to her and looked in their direction.

Feeling a bit like a zoo exhibit with everyone staring, Lin Yu couldn't help but ask, "You keep running over to talk to me. Aren't you afraid of what your manager will say? What if people start spreading rumors about us?"

"Who cares? As long as we behave ourselves, we have nothing to fear! People are going to talk anyway; we can't control what they say."

Knowing Lin Yu was just teasing, Xu Mengbai playfully mimed zipping her lips. She smiled and asked, "So, what song are you performing today? You still haven't told me."

"Oh, by the way," she added, not even waiting for his answer before changing the subject. "How come I haven't seen you online in Honor of Kings lately? Ever since I saw your Kai pull off that one-versus-five play, I've been wanting you to carry me. What have you been up to?"

Lin Yu scratched his head. "Just busy with work, nothing else really."

"Oh? Why does it feel like you're trying to hide something? You weren't out doing something bad, were you?"

Xu Mengbai leaned in closer with a mischievous grin. "I heard that after you guys got drunk at the hotpot restaurant yesterday, you went to a spa to find girls? Is that spa legit? I'm really curious what an 'illegitimate' one looks like."

Lin Yu stared at her innocent face. She looked so pure and sweet, so how could her mind be so dirty? He really wondered what went on inside her head all day.

Were all girls like this? Seemingly proper on the outside, but with minds dirty enough to make a guy blush?

With so many eyes on them in the room, Lin Yu pulled out his phone to steer the conversation elsewhere to avoid any trouble. He was just a newcomer and didn't care much about these complications. Xu Mengbai was a newcomer too, but her agency was strict. If a scandal broke out, she would be ruined.