Chapter 12: Doctor Bottom x Celebrity Top

Feng Qinghan lowered his eyes, gazing at the young man’s palm.

Pale moonlight bathed it, highlighting its translucent fairness. Slender fingers with distinct knuckles, nails neatly trimmed.

He had held this hand countless times at night, so familiar with even the lines etched into the palm that he knew them by heart.

Yet in this moment of full sobriety, he couldn’t bring himself to grasp it decisively, naturally.

He lifted his gaze to Jing Chi. Under the soft light, the amusement in the young man’s eyes deepened.

Jing Chi arched a brow, noting the hesitation. He watched as the man’s fingertips beside him curled tight, then relaxed again. Amusement bubbled up, and he couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

Seeing Feng Qinghan’s conflicted expression, he simply reached out and clasped the man’s hand in his.

“No objection means yes, got it?”

Jing Chi couldn’t help but marvel at his own perceptiveness.

He felt the slight coolness of the man’s fingertips and gripped them firmly, leading the way home step by step.

Feng Qinghan glanced at the young man’s profile beside him but said nothing, silently acquiescing to the gesture.

The warm softness in his grasp made his lips curve unconsciously—only for him to smooth his expression a heartbeat later, as if wary of being seen.

What started as a simple clasp felt lacking to Jing Chi, so he shifted his fingers until they intertwined fully. Perfect.

Night had fallen completely, moonlight spilling silver across the land.

Their shadows stretched on the ground, nestled close—far more intimate than their owners.

At the door, Jing Chi realized for the first time how short the walk truly was.

As Feng Qinghan turned to head upstairs, Jing Chi braced a hand on the stair railing and leaned in. “Brother, my episode airs tomorrow. You better watch.”

The man offered no reply, striding straight into the study. Jing Chi hadn’t gotten a direct yes, but he was dead certain Feng Qinghan would tune in.

After all, the bed-warming these past nights hadn’t been for nothing!

~~~

The first episode aired right on schedule across major platforms, riding high on the program’s pre-launch hype and the star power of rising Film Emperor Ye Shumo.

It exploded with massive viewership from the jump.

At the same time, Jing Chi’s fifteen-second clip—amped up by fan edits—stood out head and shoulders above the pack of newbie actors. The hashtag #This is the Ye Qianxing in My Heart# rocketed straight to the top of the hot searches.

Viewers had tuned in mostly for the spectacle at first, skeptical that some no-name could nail Ye Qianxing’s vibe.

Then they ate their words. The live chat overflowed with squeals of “OMG!”

Entertainment gossip spread like wildfire, so at the outset, nobody clocked that this was the same Jing Chi everyone had dragged online before.

【God, he’s perfection. This face? I could stare for a lifetime.】

【That final gentle smile wrecked me—heroine had to be blind.】

【Who is this guy? Acting on point, and those fight moves? So smooth and badass, like a pro.】

【Fifteen seconds in, gimme everything on this man.】

Once fans dug into Jing Chi’s background, a chunk of them went quiet.

【Just stanned him and already hitting scandal central?】

【Nah, can’t be. No way this flawless guy is that rotten inside.】

…

That’s when his diehard face fans piped up.

【TBH, those rumors are BS. I’ve followed this under-the-radar kid since his debut—he’s quiet but sweet as hell, total adorable type twisted into some arrogant jerk narrative.】

【Can confirm: super nice dude, killer smile, prime puppy-boy material.】

Jing Chi’s edits went viral fast, big accounts reposting left and right as the buzz skyrocketed.

Meanwhile, Bai Yusheng— glued to Weibo, hoping for fan gush over himself—watched Jing Chi’s name climb higher and higher. Jealousy soured his face in an instant.

He whipped out his phone and dialed his manager. “Dig up those old dirt bags on Jing Chi and fan the flames again.”

Not his first rodeo.

The manager’s quick “On it” drew a smug smile from Bai Yusheng.

No way a guy with that much baggage kept winning hearts.

Sure enough, the hot search comments flipped hard. The nasty takes piled up.

【Heavens, this future jailbird angling for clout?】

【How’s he got the nerve to show his face? Internet never forgets.】

【Boycott this trash—kick Jing Chi off Best Male Protagonist NOW.】

~~~

But once people started seeing Jing Chi through rose-tinted glasses, they began to question certain things.

Those who had been deeply impressed by his performance took a neutral stance on the past incidents.

They dug into the history and discovered that all those scandals clinging to Jing Chi—the young man had never publicly responded to a single one. They were nothing but one-sided claims from individuals.

They had every reason to believe he had been framed, or that there was some misunderstanding involved. They wanted him to step forward and explain himself.

More and more people began flooding the comments under Jing Chi’s Weibo posts, demanding that the agency and Jing Chi directly address and clear up those past matters.

The manager caught wind of this. Seeing that Jing Chi was trending again, a spark of delight lit up his eyes, and his exploitative schemes bubbled back to the surface.

He never could have imagined that one appearance on a variety show would create such a ripple effect. If he’d known beforehand, he would have locked Jing Chi in for several more episodes.

But it wasn’t too late now. After all, the kid hadn’t officially terminated his contract yet.

With that realization, the manager quickly had someone summon Jing Chi.

“Hey, Little Jing,” he said. “About that contract termination we discussed before—why don’t we just drop it? I’ll wire you the payment for this episode, plus an extra ten percent as a little thank-you bonus on top of your salary.”

Brother Liu, the manager, plastered a sycophantic smile on his face and solicitously poured Jing Chi a cup of water.

After all, he didn’t have any breakout stars under his wing right now. His position at the company was hanging by a thread. If it weren’t for the minor celebrities he used to schmooze and build connections, he would’ve been booted out long ago.

He had originally planned to leverage Jing Chi’s buzz to promote someone else, but now Jing Chi was a ready-made star in his own right. Why go to all that extra trouble?

Jing Chi watched the manager’s clumsy performance with cold eyes, seeing right through to the greedy heart beneath.

He pushed the paper cup a little farther away and lowered his gaze slightly. “Brother Liu, we had a deal. Once this episode wraps, I’m out.”

A faint smile played at the corners of his lips, but his words rang out firm and unyielding, without a trace of hesitation.

The smile faded from Brother Liu’s face. Assuming his offer wasn’t generous enough, he pressed on. “As long as you stick with the company, I can go to the higher-ups and get you a contract with better terms.”

Jing Chi merely tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, unmoved.

When honeyed words failed, the manager switched to playing the emotional card. “We’ll hold a press conference right away to clear everything up. I was in the wrong before, Brother Liu admits it. Be the bigger man and forgive me—after all, we’re both just trying to get by in this tough industry.”

At this, Jing Chi finally raised his eyes to meet the manager’s. But that gaze was laced with pure sarcasm.

“Your ‘tough time’ means exploiting the artists under you to go drinking with clients? And if they don’t play along, you pull every dirty trick to crush them?”

“Your ‘tough time’ means dumping me the moment I stop being useful, then crawling back when I start bringing value again?”

“Isn’t it a bit late to talk about this now?”

With every word Jing Chi uttered, Brother Liu’s face grew a shade uglier.

By the time he finished, the manager’s complexion had flushed pork-liver red from the provocation. Rage burned in his eyes as his tone turned threatening. “You think terminating the contract is that easy? Fine, you had your chance with the carrot—now it’s the stick. No termination. Let’s see how you cough up that two-million breach fee.”

“And those scandals? You’ll never get a chance to clear your name. I’ll make sure the company shelves you for good. Behave yourself, and maybe we can talk.”

The manager expected Jing Chi to show some fear, but he was disappointed.

Jing Chi’s expression remained utterly calm. He even curved his lips in a smirk, looking utterly unconcerned.

Then, right before the manager’s eyes, Jing Chi pulled out his phone, fiddled with it for a moment, and played a recording.

It was their conversation from just now.

Followed by another one—the agreement to terminate the contract from before.

Brother Liu’s face twisted through several emotions, viciousness flashing in his eyes. “You actually recorded me? You think that’ll scare me off?”

Jing Chi rose to his feet and stepped right up to the manager, looking down at him.

Seeing the cold sweat beading on the man’s forehead, he couldn’t help but let out a scoff. The chill in the young man’s eyes carried an overwhelming aura of pressure. “Why would I want to threaten you? But you know how it is—when someone’s backed into a corner, they might do anything. The fans care a lot about me right now. If I just say a few words and leak this recording, and they start digging… well, whatever they uncover about you next, Brother Liu, won’t be on me.”

Jing Chi’s words floated lightly, but each one struck at the manager’s vital points.

This time, Brother Liu completely lost his composure. “What the hell do you want?”

After all, the manager had far too many shady dealings under his belt. If Jing Chi really exposed them, getting booted from the company would be the least of his worries.

Jing Chi took a step back, his face instantly shifting back to its usual cheeky grin. He blinked innocently and said, “You know what I want.”

“Isn’t it just terminating the contract? I’ll handle it for you today, but you have to delete that recording first.” The manager fought to keep his anger in check, forcing an ugly smile onto his face.

Jing Chi waved it off nonchalantly. “No problem, no problem.”

Gritting his teeth, the manager called his assistant downstairs. “Go fetch the termination contract we prepared for Jing Chi earlier.”

Moments later, the assistant walked in with the contract.

Jing Chi examined it carefully. Finding nothing amiss, he signed his name. The company’s seal was already stamped on it, and there were two identical copies.

He pocketed his copy and waved cheerfully at the manager. “Brother Liu, if that’s all, I’ll be on my way. Farewell forever!”

Jing Chi couldn’t care less about the man’s darkening expression. He strolled out at a leisurely pace.

That cocky attitude was enough to make anyone’s teeth grind in fury.

The moment the door clicked shut, the manager snatched up the contract and hurled it at the spot where Jing Chi had been standing.

A ruthless gleam filled his eyes as he growled in a sinister tone, “You think you can just walk away? It’s not that easy.”

The manager didn’t believe for a second that Jing Chi had deleted the recording completely. He knew it was a massive ticking bomb that needed to be defused immediately.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Find me some guys… do it like this…”

Gazing down through the transparent glass window at Jing Chi emerging from the building below, the manager’s furrowed brow eased. His face settled back into its familiar smug smile.

“I’ll let you have your fun for one more day.”

Jing Chi stepped out of the company into the brilliant sunshine, his mood lifting instantly.

“Host, is that really the end of it?” The System poked its head out and whispered.

Jing Chi narrowed his eyes and glanced up at the building. “It won’t end just like this.”

The System: “?”

“Help me dig up some dirt—how many times has this manager pimped out talent, and how many suspicious incoming transactions are in his accounts?”

No matter if the manager decided to retaliate or not, Jing Chi wasn’t about to let him keep preying on people.

He couldn’t help but marvel at his own overflowing sense of justice.