In Name Only - Chapter 5

Zhu Xiaoxiao arrived very early the next day. She stayed up all night looking over every detail of Xu Jingzhe’s living habits. She had to admit that it made sense for him to be so popular and so well-regarded.

Although she hadn’t been in the industry for very long, she still knew that there was no such thing as a “perfect” celebrity. It was now the industry standard for celebrities to market themselves under certain personas.  After reading through the information on Xu Jingzhe’s living habits, she was somewhat in disbelief.

It wasn’t that Xu Jingzhe was incredibly perfect or anything. Rather, he was too ordinary.

He was the low-key kind of person who didn’t have a lot of desires, normal and ordinary. That celebrity aura didn’t seem to exist at all within his day-to-day life.

What was even more incredible was that Xu Jingzhe was able to maintain his self-awareness as a “normal, ordinary person” despite working within such a bizarre, impetuous, and restless industry. In the eyes of others, it was simply unbelievable.

When Zhu Xiaoxiao arrived at the villa, the housekeeper was still cooking breakfast. She seemed to already know that there was a new assistant. The housekeeper politely invited her in and helped her get a pair of slippers.

“Mr. Xu just woke up,” the housekeeper said. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

Zhu Xiaoxiao immediately replied that she already ate. She was too nervous to even sit comfortably on the sofa. Instead, she perched on the very edge of the couch cushion. After waiting for a while, she saw Xu Jingzhe coming downstairs.

The man seemed to have just washed his face. His long hair was tied behind his head. Xu Jingzhe, who was wearing white stay-at-home clothes, looked very relaxed. He seemed to have already completed his skincare routine since his skin looked so good. There wasn’t a single flaw to be seen.

He took the initiative to greet Zhu Xiaoxiao, “Good morning.”

Zhu Xiaoxiao hurriedly stood up. She nodded and bowed. “Sir, good morning.”

“…” Xu Jingzhe seemed to reveal a helpless expression on his face. He said, “Would you like something to drink?”

Zhu Xiaoxiao: “Water is fine. You don’t need to worry about me. Go ahead and have breakfast.”

Xu Jingzhe sat at the dining table. The housekeeper had prepared toast and freshly squeezed orange juice for him. Zhu Xiaoxiao didn’t know much about the eating habits of other actors, but Xu Jingzhe had a meal plan prepared for every meal. He would never eat something outside of his meal plan so as not to affect his skin and figure.

“We’ll enter the venue at 10:00. Your outfit is in the nanny van. Man jie has already checked it. There aren’t any problems. Styling will be done by Mr. Neo, same as usual.” While Xu Jingzhe was eating, Zhu Xiaoxiao reported today’s schedule to him, “We just need to get there by 8:30.”

Xu Jingzhe nodded. He wasn’t a fast eater. He tended to chew his food slowly. He waited until he had swallowed what was in his mouth before he spoke. “Auntie, prepare some lunch for Liang Yu when he wakes up.”

The housekeeper smiled and said, “Sure. What does Mr. Liang like to eat?”

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The housekeeper said, “Okay.” Then, she turned towards the kitchen to get to work. Zhu Xiaoxiao was a little shocked. She stared blankly at Xu Jingzhe’s face.

After finishing off his orange juice, Xu Jingzhe stood up as if nothing had happened. He tilted his head and said, “What are you doing? Come on. Let’s go.”

This neighborhood was very sparsely populated. All of the properties were very far apart from each other. Zhu Xiaoxiao had the nanny van drive up to the villa first. After a while, she saw the van driving up, followed by another vehicle.

Xu Jingzhe had probably recognized it to be Liang Yu’s nanny van. He stood in front of his nanny van and didn’t move. Once the other car drove into the villa, a little girl got off.

Xiao Luo didn’t expect Xu Jingzhe to personally greet her by the door. Her expression showed that she was rather flattered. The two of them finally met each other face-to-face. Xu Jingzhe nodded towards her and said, “Mr. Liang is still sleeping. If you’re waiting for him, you can just go inside and take a look around.”

Xiao Luo quickly replied, “Thank you, Mr. Xu. In that case, I’ll head inside.”

Xu Jingzhe nodded once more. Then, he stepped into the car, and Zhu Xiaoxiao followed behind him. Just as the car was about to leave the neighborhood, she couldn’t hold back and asked, “Mr. Liang’s assistant… She knows that you and Mr. Liang…”

“She knows,” Xu Jingzhe interrupted her before she could finish, “But the housekeeper doesn’t know.”

Zhu Xiaoxiao: “So it’s like that…”

Xu Jingzhe: “Our management teams naturally need to know about it. However, the less people who know about it, the better.” After saying this, he glanced at Zhu Xiaoxiao and seemed a little apologetic. “You guys have worked hard.”

Zhu felt a sense of panic. It was the kind of panic you’d feel when your boss is being nice to you so he can cut your salary. She said sincerely, “This is what I should do, Mr. Xu. If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask. You don’t need to be so polite with me. ”

Xu Jingzhe’s image as a simple and straightforward person wasn’t fake. He truly did not like to bother other people at all. He arrived at the venue and changed his clothes. The organizer of the event had specially prepared an exclusive dressing room for him. Neo was already waiting inside. As soon as he saw Xu Jingzhe, he shot him a sly smile.

“Mr. Xu really hid himself well,” Neo joked around as he did Xu Jingzhe’s makeup. “If my friends knew you swung that way, they would’ve never let you go so easily.”

Xu Jingzhe laughed and said, “You guys should just let me go.”

Neo was a little envious. “You bagged a movie emperor. I can’t believe you. You’re usually so low-key, but it turns out that was all fake. You’ve secretly got the romance of the century going on.”

Xu Jingzhe didn’t get annoyed. He responded amiably, “I’ll definitely go back and tell Liang Yu that you like him very much.”

Neo squealed several times. Then, he turned around and finished putting on Xu Jingzhe’s makeup. He didn’t forget to tease Xu Jingzhe one more time. “If you guys ever break up, don’t forget to call me.” He shot him a wink. “Either one of you is fine.”

Luxury brands considered everything from the celebrity to their management team when sending out invitations. Brands like Chanel, Dior, and the like rarely found Asian celebrities to serve as their spokespersons. However, they did have a few Asian celebrities serve as brand ambassadors.

When it came to the fashion industry, Xu Jingzhe’s team had always been a little picky. Zhang Man looked down on the position of ambassador. She just wanted to get the role of brand spokesperson for Xu Jingzhe.

“Why can’t you have what Liang Yu has?” Zhang Man was a little unwilling to admit defeat. “He might be more famous than you are internationally, but, domestically, there isn’t a single person who isn’t captivated by you. We just want to be their Chinese representative. Is that too much to ask for?”

Xu Jingzhe smiled and said, “It’s fine if you say this stuff in front of me, but you shouldn’t say this kind of stuff in front of anyone else.”

Zhang Man sighed. “You’re too laid back about this.”

Xu Jingzhe: “If I was really that laid back, how could I have started up my own studio? How else would I pay all of your wages and bonuses?”

Zhang Man: “If you become their spokesperson, you’ll be able to pay me even more. Boss, I’m begging you. I still want to buy a house.”

Xu Jingzhe left his signature on the billboard before the stage. There were tons of cameras and reporters surrounding the platform. This was his first public appearance since he announced his “relationship”. Everyone was itching to ask questions. Someone even went ahead and shouted, “Congratulations on your marriage!”

Xu Jingzhe calmly returned the pen. Then, he picked a particularly flattering angle and smiled. “We haven’t gotten married just yet. Don’t rush.”

Another reporter asked him, “Are you going to hand out candy when you get married?”

Xu Jingzhe replied, “If you give me a red envelope, I’ll give you candy.”

As long as he didn’t give them nasty looks, the media usually tended to like him a lot. He had a high emotional quotient, he was eloquent, and he was able to catch their jokes. It was rare for an actor as influential as him to be so down-to-earth.

There was a saying within the industry. There was always going to be a rising star, but Xu Jingzhe would still be Xu Jingzhe. The most popular celebrity was always changing every year, but Xu Jingzhe was always there.

The stage was mainly for taking pictures. Several people from the brand’s side came today, and he needed to take a photo with all of them. Zhang Man really wanted to grab ahold of this endorsement. Even after the event ended, she was still chatting with the brand’s people. Zhu Xiaoxiao accompanied Xu Jingzhe to an interview. Zhang Man asked her to keep an eye on him. If he encountered any difficult questions, she had to help Xu Jingzhe change the subject.

“We gave them a list of questions, but some reporters like to go off book and do their own thing for the sake of internet traffic.” Zhang Man urged her, “Either way, just keep an eye on Mr. Xu’s face. If it looks like he’s having a hard time, help him refuse the question.”

Zhu Xiaoxiao was a little confused. “What does Mr. Xu look like when he’s having a hard time?”

Zhang Man actually didn’t know how to respond to her for a while. After thinking it over for a long time, she simply said, “You can just adapt according to the situation.”

Zhu Xiaoxiao: “…”

Xu Jingzhe did a very good job maintaining his condition. He knew that the lighting would be very bright today, so his makeup was very light. Even if the lights were right up in his face, it wouldn’t come off as greasy at all.

“Has Mr. Xu lost weight?” It was clear that this reporter was a fan of his. She was very genuinely concerned for him.

Xu Jingzhe smiled at her. “My next role is a bit on the thinner side, so I’m preparing for it in advance.”

Next to him, one of the cameramen praised him for his dedication.

Xu Jingzhe: “In that case, could you film from my left side? My left side is my good side.”

He was really easy to talk to today. All of the media personnel were a little flattered by how amiable he was. One of the more daring reporters yelled out, “Mr. Xu’s in such a good mood today. It looks like your relationship is really sweet.”

Xu Jingzhe seemed to be stunned for a moment. Zhu Xiaoxiao saw this and thought that he was troubled. Just as she was about to intervene, she heard Xu Jingzhe say, “Is it that obvious?”

He pretended to unconsciously raise a hand to his cheek. He seemed to be a little embarrassed. Ordinarily, it would be a little strange for someone of his age to be acting tender and innocent. However, maybe Xu Jingzhe’s acting skills were just too good, but it truly looked very natural. Soon after, he regained his composure and poked a little fun at himself. “You can’t post this part. Liang Yu’s definitely going to laugh at me when he sees it.”

Zhu Xiaoxiao was too nervous to even breathe. She couldn’t help but take a look at everyone else. It was clear from their expressions that they had completely believed it. Zhu Xiaoxiao couldn’t blame them. If she hadn’t known that it was fake, she would’ve started riding this ship right away!

The reporters were completely distracted by Xu Jingzhe’s excellent performance. Many of the questions that followed were entirely besides the point. The reporter from earlier even made a declaration of her loyalty. “You and Mr. Liang are truly a perfect match. I will always support you. I wish you both all the best and hope the two of you grow old together.”

Xu Jingzhe smiled and thanked her several times. Meanwhile, Zhu Xiaoxiao watched from the side with a very complicated expression.

She also told Zhang Man about it later. As an experienced agent, she wasn’t surprised at all. “Mr. Xu is just like this. You don’t have to worry about him not doing good enough. You only need to worry about whether you’re good enough for him.”

Zhu Xiaoxiao was about to cry. “What if I’m not good enough?”

“Be more confident,” Zhang Man comforted her. “Even someone like Liang Yu managed to be good enough. How could you not be good enough?”

Zhu Xiaoxiao: “…”