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Xiao Zhan had just finished a warm congyoubing for lunch and was spending the rest of his short break by watching videos when one of the new interns on his team burst into the room in a flurry of papers on clipboards and the scent of three energy drinks.
“Laoban, I’m sorry for interrupting your break, but it’s about Wang Yibo-xiangsheng.”
“What?” Xiao Zhan pulled out his earbud and dropped the leg that was crossed over the other one. He was immediately on the offensive, ready to burst out the door and demand a flight to Yibo’s filming location. Photoshoot be damned. “What happened… is he okay?”
She was still gasping for air, braced against the door but she shook her head and raised a hand, waving it about furiously. “Yes! He’s okay!”
“Oh—” he said, the panic draining out of him all at once like a drain pulled from a basin. “Well what’s wrong?”
The intern pressed her lips into a straight line and her face went paper white. Xiao Zhan worried for one long, irrational second, worried that maybe it wasn’t an injury but it could’ve been a bad encounter with the public, a verbal fight with a costar or director, a threat of bodily harm or violence, a car accident, a scandal, a death in the family, a st—
“There’s a rumor going around that Wang Yibo got a woman pregnant!”
Silence. Everyone in the room froze, Xiao Zhan included.
Then he couldn’t help it. A laugh burst out of him— the ensuing noise so utterly repugnant and sudden that it made him laugh even harder as he brought up a hand in an attempt to smother the noises. Of all the things he was prepared to hear, this was definitely not on the list. The other members of his team—the ones that had been around Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo much longer than this poor, confused intern—all started giggling too, returning to their business.
She could only glance about the room, wide-eyed and helpless.
“I’m, I’m sorry—” he said helplessly, still giggling into his palm. He had to set his phone and earbuds down on the table lest he let them slip through weak fingers. “He— people are s-saying he got someone pregnant?”
He laughed again and grasped at his stomach, bending forward to ease the cramp that had started to form.
Someone pressed a water bottle into his shoulder but he pushed it away; if he drank right now he would probably just end up choking on it or spitting it out.
“A woman posted a picture on Weibo of her pregnant belly and said that the father is Wang Yi—”
He really started cackling then, so violent and loud that it hurt his throat and cheeks. He really couldn't control it. The idea was just so absurd that it shut down all his mental faculties until all that was left was pure and utter bewilderment.
“Stop! Stop— no more, please!”
“Is— is that not a bad thing?” She genuinely looked concerned. “Aren’t you and Wang Yibo-xiangsheng—”
“The fact that there’s a rumor going around at all is annoying. But I know for a fact Yibo wouldn’t f—” he bit his tongue to forcibly stop the snicker from forming “—I know he wouldn't do this.”
“Wang Yibo, cheating? Never.” One of the stylists muttered under her breath as she reinforced a button that had gone loose. She stabbed her needle and tugged her thread with derisiveness that spoke of a woman scorned. “If only other men were like him.”
“Jie, there is only one man named Wang Yibo and he’s claimed already!”
Someone whispered back. “And he’s more likely to get Xiao-ge pregnant before any other p—”
“—ey!” Xiao Zhan warned, throwing his crumpled-up congyoubing wrapper in their direction as his face flushed red. They all giggled and scurried away like cockroaches from light. “I’m still your boss, you know!”
The intern cried out. “Laoban, what are we going to do!”
“Alright, alright, I’m sure Yuehua is already typing up a statement to combat just how ridiculous this whole thing is.” Liu Jing was already on her phone, presumably contacting Yibo’s side for updates. Or maybe just texting Lai Yanlin to gossip, like she always does.
Speaking of which—
Xiao Zhan picked up his phone, immediately typing out a Weixin message. He didn't know if Wang Yibo was busy—perhaps he hadn't even been informed of the news yet by his team if he was still in the middle of filming, the news was fairly recent as far as he could tell—but it wouldn't hurt to try.
<< Aiya Mr. Playboy, leaving a lady pregnant?
<< Lao Wang, how promiscuous of you!
Wang Yibo’s response came almost instantly, much to Xiao Zhan's surprise and delight.
>> Xiao Zhan, help me come up with names!!
>> Lai-jie and Liu-jie are betting that it's a baby boy 233333333333333
He almost burst out laughing again.
<< Wang Yibo, how dare you!!!!! Asking your husband to pick a name for another woman's baby?
<< I'll forgive you only if you name them after me ^3^
>> Wang Zhan is too on the nose isn't it?
<< Wdym, it's perfect
<< If I miraculously impregnated a woman behind your back I would name the child Xiao Yibo
>> THAT'S WORSE LMAOOO