After Transmigrated as the Movie Star's Omega - Chapter 15

“What’s going on between you and Xia Ran?”

Meng Lu took advantage of a red light to glance in the rearview mirror. Shen Baibi was sitting in the back seat, staring out the window with a flat expression, lost in thought.

“Hmm?” Shen Baibi turned his head and frowned slightly. “Why do you ask?”

“I heard…” Meng Lu smiled. “You sexually harassed Xia Ran?”

Shen Baibi was utterly astonished. “Who told you that?”

“Jiang Shen,” Meng Lu said. “Jiang Shen told me that Xia Ran called him crying and sniffling, saying you harassed him.”

The light turned green, and she stepped on the gas, the car moving forward.

Shen Baibi remained silent. If this was a relayed message, Jiang Shen likely added a lot of “spice” to it; otherwise, he truly didn’t believe Xia Ran would be crying and sniffling—it didn’t fit the guy’s personality at all.

“What actually happened?” Meng Lu glanced in the mirror again, catching a faint, subtle smile on Shen Baibi’s lips this time.

Instead of answering directly, Shen Baibi asked, “What did Jiang Shen say?”

“Jiang Shen said Xia Ran complained that you were wandering around the house naked, and that his fragile young heart suffered massive trauma from being forced to see your nudity,” Meng Lu said, unable to hide the amusement in her voice.

Shen Baibi curled his lip. That guy Xia Ran really knew how to lie through his teeth.

“So, what’s your version?” Meng Lu asked. Her eyes were fixed on the road. She flicked her turn signal, accelerated, and smoothly overtook the car in front.

The entire maneuver was crisp and efficient, consistent with her usual professional style.

“Hmm?” Shen Baibi looked suspicious.

Meng Lu laughed. “Jiang Shen came to me looking for an explanation. He protects his artist, and I can’t very well not protect mine, can I?”

Shen Baibi smiled. Meng Lu was usually very fair, but she also had the common trait of most top-tier managers: she was protective. She would never let her artist suffer a loss they didn’t deserve.

So, he gave her a rough summary of the previous night, omitting the part about opening the box.

Finishing, Shen Baibi concluded: “In short, Xia Ran’s reaction was just too over-the-top.”

Meng Lu pondered for a long while before looking back at him with a meaningful gaze.

“What is it?” Shen Baibi felt she had realized something.

At another red light, Meng Lu stopped the car and turned around fully to face him. “Actually, I think Xia Ran’s reaction was quite normal.”

Shen Baibi raised an eyebrow.

Meng Lu explained, “He was likely embarrassed.”

Shen Baibi found this even harder to understand. The person who had been so overbearingly critical of him was embarrassed?

Meng Lu curled her lips and analyzed: “Xia Ran works all day and comes home at night to find you in the living room, freshly showered and wearing only a towel—is that not a form of suggestion?”

She didn’t say it explicitly, but Shen Baibi understood. He frowned and was about to speak, but Meng Lu waved him off, signaling him to be patient and let her finish. “Of course, Xia Ran himself might not think that way, but there’s no guarantee others won’t.”

“Others?” Shen Baibi thought for a moment and immediately realized. “You mean Xiao Xiao misunderstood us?”

Shen Baibi clicked his tongue. That made sense. Xia Ran had flipped out right after seeing Xiao Xiao off. It was reasonable to speculate that Xiao Xiao said something to him, causing Xia Ran to suddenly explode in embarrassed rage.

Shen Baibi hadn’t considered this point before. He and Xia Ran were a “surface-level” couple; they only cared about showing affection in public and had no other thoughts about each other, so he naturally didn’t think in that direction. As it turned out, a thoughtless act on his part was seen as an ambiguous signal by outsiders.

Shen Baibi said, “It’s his fault for bringing his assistant back in the first place, otherwise there wouldn’t be such a misunderstanding. And later—”

He cut himself off and didn’t continue.

Seeing the odd look on his face, Meng Lu asked curiously, “What happened later?”

“Nothing.” Shen Baibi pointed ahead. “The light is green.”

The honking of the cars behind them started up right on cue. Meng Lu had no choice but to turn back and drive.

The car fell into silence.

Shen Baibi leaned against the seat and closed his eyes. Xia Ran getting embarrassed? That was a rare thought.

In his impression, Xia Ran was always arrogant and headstrong; the word “shy” or “embarrassed” basically had nothing to do with him. It made one wonder if the guy was missing a nerve.

However…

Thinking about Xia Ran’s reactions after opening the box last night, he felt the guy wasn’t actually incapable of embarrassment; he was just good at using other reactions to hide it. After all, to become a top idol, one couldn’t be a total “sweet simpleton.”

Thinking this, the corners of his mouth tilted up.

The rearview mirror caught his deep smile perfectly. Meng Lu saw it and felt a slight shock. Aside from when he was acting, when had her artist ever worn such an expression?

It was a smile full of interest, tinged with a hint of doting and tolerance.

“Baibi,” she called out.

“Hmm?”

“It’s right to put emotion into your acting, but if you put too much in, you might fall in and never get back out.” Meng Lu stared straight ahead, her face devoid of any extra expression, as if she were just making a casual comment.

Hearing this, Shen Baibi’s smile froze, then slowly faded.

A moment later, he offered another smile—a textbook “professional” smile. “Yes, of course. I’m a professional actor; I know the difference between the play and reality.”

“That’s good then.”

Meng Lu parked the car precisely in a spot and said, “We’re here. Get out.”

“Okay.”

Shen Baibi took out his sunglasses and put them on. The dark lenses covered his eyes, adding a layer of aloofness to his demeanor.

Xia Ran spent the day sweating in the dance studio and was reluctantly dropped off at home by Jiang Shen in the evening.

Passing through the foyer, Xia Ran entered the living room and immediately saw Shen Baibi sitting on the sofa with a solemn expression. He raised an eyebrow. Not running around naked today?

Hearing the noise, Shen Baibi looked over. His gaze fixed on Xia Ran and didn’t move.

Xia Ran was confused. What kind of reaction is this?

Just as Xia Ran was getting wary, Shen Baibi spoke: “Xia Ran.”

His tone was flat, devoid of emotion.

“What is it?” Xia Ran stood where he was, not moving.

Shen Baibi was silent for a moment, then said, “Come over here.”

Xia Ran frowned. Why ‘come over’? Is he calling a dog?

He still didn’t move and asked again, “What for?”

Seeing his defensive posture, Shen Baibi sighed softly. When he spoke again, his tone was much softer: “Come here, I have something to tell you.”

“Can’t you just say it from there? Why do I have to go over?” Xia Ran was suspicious. He felt Shen Baibi was being very strange. Was he playing hard to get, waiting for him to walk over so he could trip him up?

He wouldn’t fall for it that easily!

“Are you staying so far away because you’re afraid I’ll eat you?” Shen Baibi saw he was refusing to budge and resorted to a provocation.

It was an old trick, but effective.

Hearing this, Xia Ran immediately shouted, “Who’s afraid of you? I’m coming!”

He walked over in three large strides, sat on the armchair with his arms crossed and legs tucked, and stared at Shen Baibi. “I’m here. Say what you have to say, and make it quick!”

Shen Baibi, conversely, went silent.

Xia Ran grew impatient. “Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong with you? Didn’t you say you had something to say? Don’t waste my time.”

He increasingly felt Shen Baibi was acting odd. Was he trying to apologize but didn’t know how to start? If that were the case, Xia Ran might consider forgiving him.

While Xia Ran was calculating how much “attitude” he should put on, Shen Baibi spoke.

“Tomorrow, Director Xu and his wife are coming over as guests.”

That’s what he said.

Xia Ran blinked. “Which Director Xu?”

“Director Xu Ting.”

Xia Ran was silent for a second, then decisively uttered two words: “No way!”