"Ring—ring—ring…"
Early the next morning, Zhang Yichen was jolted awake by an urgent ringtone.
Still half-asleep, he rolled over and instinctively fumbled along the edge of the bed for his phone.
When he saw an unfamiliar number on the screen, he frowned slightly and swiped to hang up without hesitation.
He casually tossed the phone back onto the nightstand, pulled the blanket over himself, and prepared to drift back to sleep.
Ever since he came here, aside from the orphanage director—his "mom"—he rarely received calls from anyone else.
And even when he did, it was always someone he knew.
So whoever this was, he couldn't care less.
Besides, last night he and Chen Xiaoxi had gone through several evenly matched "battles."
By the time those battles ended, it was already well past midnight.
He hadn't even slept enough yet.
Calling him at this hour—wasn't that just asking for trouble?
However, only a few seconds later, the phone rang again.
The sharp ringtone echoed relentlessly, as if deliberately provoking his last shred of patience.
Zhang Yichen snapped his eyes open, grabbed the phone, and answered irritably.
"Who is it?"
"Mr. Lin, good morning. I'm Xiao Wang, a reporter from Starlight Daily. May I ask if it's convenient for you to accept an interview?"
The voice on the other end sounded polite and professional, but it only made Zhang Yichen more annoyed.
"Not convenient."
He ended the call coldly, then set his phone to silent.
But after two consecutive calls, all traces of sleepiness were gone.
His hope of catching some extra sleep was officially ruined.
Since that wish was shattered, he decided to make another one.
Last night's battle still hadn't produced a clear winner—he was thinking of having another round while it was still early morning.
Perfect timing, too.
Right now, he was… excited.
A powerful sign of a healthy adult man.
He turned his head and glanced at Chen Xiaoxi, who was still fast asleep.
Her breathing was steady, her cheeks faintly flushed—it was obvious she had been completely worn out last night.
That sight immediately extinguished his fighting spirit.
Zhang Yichen carefully got out of bed, moving as quietly as possible so as not to wake her.
He walked over to the window and pulled open the curtains. Sunlight instantly flooded the room.
A brand-new day had begun, full of endless possibilities.
But he knew very well—after yesterday's glory, even greater challenges and pressure awaited them.
He stepped into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water onto his face, instantly clearing his head.
Staring at his reflection in the mirror, his eyes were still slightly puffy, but his gaze remained sharp.
He took a deep breath and silently planned his next moves.
By the time he finished washing up, Chen Xiaoxi had already woken up and was sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes.
The moment he saw her awake, Zhang Yichen felt that lingering heat stir again.
That pent-up energy still hadn't fully faded.
He strode over to the bed, gently brushing her cheek with his fingertips, his voice low and husky with morning roughness.
"Awake?"
Chen Xiaoxi looked up at him, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
"Mm…" Her voice was soft and lazy, still tinged with sleep.
His hand slid naturally to her waist, pulling her lightly into his arms, while his other hand cupped the back of her neck as he lowered his head and kissed her.
His breath was warm, carrying a faint urgency that broke the calm of the early morning.
Still groggy at first, Chen Xiaoxi was momentarily caught off guard, but she quickly responded, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she pulled him closer.
Their breaths intertwined, the air thick with intimacy.
Zhang Yichen deepened the kiss, his hand moving along her back, warmth seeping through the thin fabric of her pajamas.
Chen Xiaoxi's body trembled slightly, a soft sound escaping her lips.
Her fingers curled into his shoulder, nails pressing lightly into his skin—an unspoken response.
Just then, a sudden knock at the door shattered the moment.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Zhang Yichen, are you up? I need to talk to you."
Li Yue's voice came from outside, laced with urgency.
Zhang Yichen paused, his brows knitting together, clearly annoyed at the interruption.
He lifted his head, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.
Chen Xiaoxi, flustered, quickly slipped out of his arms and straightened her disheveled sleepwear.
"Give me a moment. I'll be right there."
Zhang Yichen adjusted his clothes and walked toward the door, a trace of frustration still lingering in his eyes.
He wiped his face, trying to look more alert.
When he opened the door, Li Yue stood outside, clutching a file, her expression grave.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Yichen stepped aside to let her in, impatience faintly coloring his tone.
Li Yue glanced into the room and saw Chen Xiaoxi hurriedly tidying the bed. Her face flushed slightly before she quickly regained her composure.
"We just received word—Xiaoxi's former company has started making moves."
She handed the file to Zhang Yichen.
He skimmed through it quickly, his brow furrowing.
"They're not even trying to hide it. Bold little tricks."
He let out a cold laugh, his eyes turning sharp.
"Looks like they're really panicking."
Chen Xiaoxi walked over and asked softly, "What happened? Is it serious?"
Zhang Yichen looked at her, his tone gentler now.
"Nothing major. Just some people who can't sit still anymore."
He passed her the file and continued,
"Your former company is spreading rumors, implying your comeback isn't clean—and even bringing up so-called 'black material.'"
The so-called scandals were nothing more than claims that Chen Xiaoxi was arrogant and lacked professional integrity.
They accused her of clashing with her former company during her contract period and falling out with multiple brand partners.
They even claimed her comeback was simply because she had run out of money.
Chen Xiaoxi's face paled as she read, her fingers tightening around the file.
"How… how can they do this?"
Zhang Yichen reached out and patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry. These are just cheap tricks."
Then he turned to Li Yue.
"The medical records I asked you to prepare—are they ready?"
He had originally thought those wouldn't be needed so soon.
Clearly, he had underestimated them.
"They're ready," Li Yue replied immediately.
"Good." Zhang Yichen nodded with satisfaction and continued issuing instructions.
"Hold a press conference this afternoon. I'll speak on Xiaoxi's behalf."
"And don't waste the opportunity—make sure it's livestreamed throughout. While we're at it, promote my new album."
His arrangements were methodical and precise.
He wasn't going to let even the press conference go to waste.
"Is it really okay to sell albums at a press conference?" Li Yue hesitated.
"Why not?" Zhang Yichen replied decisively.
"Such a perfect opportunity—if we don't use it, it'd be a waste."
There wasn't the slightest hesitation in his tone.
......
"You can find my Patreon link in the synopsis. Please take a look!"