Liu Rulan asked, "What's wrong?"
Xiao He's gaze swept around the room but didn't notice anything unusual. Then he said jokingly, "Maybe the incident with the idol next door has made me too sensitive. I actually feel like there might be someone else in the room."
Liu Rulan also scanned the room.
The hotel suite they booked had one bedroom and a living room with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking out from the windows, they could see a vast view of the city.
Because they were busy with today's audition, they had arrived here in the early morning and barely rested before tidying up to meet Director Zhuang. So overall, they hadn't spent much time in this room at all.
Hearing Xiao He suddenly say this, Liu Rulan also felt uneasy and uncomfortable.
"Really?"
As she spoke, she rubbed her arms.
But since doubts had been raised, the best approach was to dispel them immediately.
Fortunately, the police officers in the hallway outside hadn't left yet. Liu Rulan made a quick decision and went out to call for help: "Officers, we're also feeling something isn't quite right here. Could you come help us check?"
Just as Liu Rulan stepped out to call for people, Xiao He saw a figure suddenly dart out from under the nearby counter—
Since Liu Rulan was blocking the doorway, the person rushing out pushed her hard to make their escape easier.
"Sister Liu, watch out—"
Xiao He didn't have time to pull her to safety and could only shout a warning. Liu Rulan instinctively turned to move aside, but she was ultimately too slow. Pushed hard, she fell backward unexpectedly, landing squarely on her bottom.
The next moment, Xiao He rushed out, and the police officers in the hallway also reacted, giving chase.
"Stop—don't move—"
They intercepted another girl suspected of being a stalker fan.
Xiao He glanced at the girl over there with a very serious expression, then turned to check on Liu Rulan: "Sister Liu, are you okay?"
Liu Rulan, having fallen in public, had a colorful expression on her face. Finally gritting her teeth, she grabbed Xiao He's extended hand and used his strength to stand up from the ground.
Although the fall hurt badly, to preserve her last shred of dignity, Liu Rulan resisted the urge to immediately rub her numb bottom. Instead, she strode purposefully toward the stalker fan.
Watching the ominous dark aura emanating from the woman, Xiao He instinctively swallowed.
Sister Liu was very angry, and the consequences would be serious—
"How exactly did you get in? Who gave you the room card?"
Liu Rulan looked sternly at the two girls before her, her tone more serious than ever before.
One of the girls curled her lip and muttered quietly, "It's not like we were stalking your artist, why so worked up?"
Liu Rulan's gaze immediately fixed on that girl.
Meanwhile, Xiao He breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, it wasn't his stalker fan.
Otherwise, just thinking about being hugged by someone who wouldn't let go while showering would probably make Xiao He's mentality shatter too.
"Who were you originally here to stalk?"
Liu Rulan asked.
The girl immediately lowered her head and fell silent.
"Hah, playing deaf and dumb now?"
Liu Rulan sneered coldly and immediately called for the manager to inquire.
It turned out both stalker fans were fans of a boy group called ECL. One was a fan of Liang Cheng, the other a fan of Xu Yanzhou. Coincidentally, the ECL boy group was coming to Beijing to participate in an event, and these fans had obtained the information in advance, planning to follow and see their idols.
As it happened, one of them had an uncle working here as a senior management staff member of the hotel. So this stalker fan found a way to secretly obtain the check-in information for the boy group members and also took her uncle's master key card, planning to sneak in with her friend for some ambush waiting.
But they never expected that while Liang Cheng was indeed staying in the corresponding room, Xu Yanzhou had changed hotel rooms for some reason, and this room happened to be assigned to Xiao He's group who booked later.
The two stalker fans didn't know these details. During the day, while the boy group was out for their event, they secretly infiltrated these two rooms and began quietly lying in wait.
So one of them did successfully ambush her target, but Xiao He's side was discovered immediately, and it wasn't even her idol.
Compared to the girl who looked thoroughly satisfied, the one who failed to ambush anyone clearly had a face full of resentment. When she looked up, she glared viciously at Xiao He as if looking at some sworn enemy.
Xiao He: ...
Xiao He was rendered speechless.
Meanwhile, Xu Yanzhou listening nearby felt chills running down his spine.
Liao Ronghui, the boy group's manager, also became more serious.
In the boy group, Liang Cheng might just be an unimportant, less popular member, but Xu Yanzhou was their group's hot commodity—the most popular idol with the largest fanbase. If this matter involved Xu Yanzhou, then the handling approach would need to change.
Immediately, Liao Ronghui proactively said, "This matter can't just be dropped. The hotel should give us a reasonable explanation."
Liu Rulan glanced sideways at him: "Oh, so now you remember to demand accountability?"
Liao Ronghui faced Liu Rulan's sarcastic gaze with a smiling expression: "It's mainly because Sister Liu is here, giving me great confidence."
The ECL boy group had only moderate fame domestically, and managers like Liao Ronghui were considered second or third-rate in the industry, quite different from gold-level managers like Liu Rulan.
So in front of Liu Rulan, Liao Ronghui didn't dare act too arrogantly.
Liu Rulan snorted coldly: "You sure know how to shout from behind."
Too scared earlier, but jumping up now—simply incompetent.
On this side, with Sister Liu charging ahead, Xiao He stood with arms crossed, perfectly content to stay back. Just then, the idol named Liang Cheng came over.
"Are you okay?"
Xiao He was puzzled: "Huh? I'm fine."
"How did you discover her? Any techniques? Teach me, please."
Liang Cheng sniffled and asked quietly.
Xiao He didn't care for this sound: "...I have tissues here, blow your nose first."
Although both were involved parties, seeing the other's eyes red and irritated from bubble bath water and thinking about his miserable experience, Xiao He felt like laughing.
Darn it, hold it in!
Xiao He handed Liang Cheng a pack of tissues, and the other unceremoniously produced thunderous noises.
Xiao He: ...Hard to judge, feels like this guy would be better suited as a comedian—seems he's got some comedy in him.
"Can I call you Brother Xiao?"
Liang Cheng finally finished blowing his nose and asked Xiao He.
Due to his own demeanor, Xiao He was often called Brother Xiao in the industry and had gotten used to it: "Sure."
"How exactly did you do it? I want to develop such skills too in the future."
Liang Cheng's face was full of seriousness.
Xiao He thought about it: "Well, it's just a feeling."
Liang Cheng: ?
"A feeling that's hard to describe." Xiao He patted Liang Cheng's shoulder, speaking with great earnestness, "This relies heavily on talent, brother. You should think of other methods."
Liang Cheng: "...Understood."
Exclusive secret technique, not for sharing.
"If it doesn't work, then forget it. Actually, I have one more thing..."
Liang Cheng pulled out a notebook and pen, carefully handing them to Xiao He: "Um, my whole family really likes you. Could I get an autograph?"
Xiao He: ?
He'd always been the one asking colleagues for autographs before—this was the first time a fellow artist asked him for one.
Xiao He accepted it feeling flattered: "Your, your whole family likes me?"
"Yeah, yeah, especially the recently popular TV drama, they all love watching it." Liang Cheng nodded vigorously, "Brother Xiao acted super well! They all really like you!"
Xiao He: "Is that so... Huh?"
Wait—
Xiao He thought about the currently popular "Starry Radiance" and his eye twitched.
Your family's liking... it's not the kind of liking where they want to beat me to death when they see me, is it?