Chapter 32: Alcohol Has Left Me So Haggard… From Today Onward, I Quit Drinking!

“Zhang Liangying Concert”

“Zhang Liangying Shen Lang”

“You Are the April of This World”

“Shen Lang’s New Song”

“…”

The related trending topics exploded online, flooding the internet with discussions about Zhang Liangying’s concert.

“I’m in love, absolutely in love!”

“Zhang Liangying’s concert was mind-blowing—so stunning!”

“Shen Lang was actually a guest at Zhang Liangying’s concert? What a pleasant surprise!”

“Honestly, hearing Shen Lang and Zhang Liangying perform live was incredible. Their chemistry was off the charts… If only Zhang Liangying weren’t married, I’d totally ship them!”

“Ahhh! I officially declare I’m stanning this pair!”

“I adore Shen Lang’s new song, ‘You Are the April of This World.’ It’s amazing!”

“Liangying, I love you!”

“Shen Lang, Liangying, can you two just date already?”

“Hey, the person above—Zhang Liangying is married, and Shen Lang is still a student at Beijing Film Academy, only in his third year. Born in 1997, he’s not even of legal marriage age yet. This kind of talk isn’t appropriate.”

“I’m all for the older woman-younger man dynamic. I love this ship!”

“Let’s be real, Zhang Liangying should’ve divorced ages ago. Her ex-husband isn’t half as handsome as Shen Lang.”

“Begging for ‘You Are the April of This World’—where can I listen to it?”

“Only the concert recording is available for now. The official release isn’t out yet. Hold on a bit longer.”

“Shen Lang, please drop an album!”

“Same here!”

“+1″*

“+10086″*

Those who watched Zhang Liangying’s concert were all shipping the pair. Many fans knew Zhang Liangying was going through a divorce and encouraged her to split and get together with Shen Lang.

Musicians should be with musicians!

Shen Lang: “???”

I’m an actor—a professional actor!

Shen Teng was the happiest to see Shen Lang trending. However, he also felt exasperated.

Why is it always this kind of news?

Shen Lang absolutely could not meddle in someone else’s marriage. He immediately called Shen Lang, but no one picked up. After several failed attempts, Shen Teng grew anxious.

Could the rumors actually be true?

When did Xiao Lang become like this? After being ‘kept’ by Da Tian Tian?

Dammit, why does he have a thing for being ‘sponsored’?

No matter how much he thought about it, Shen Teng couldn’t understand. Watching the online comments, he worried for Shen Lang.

Meanwhile, Guo Fan also saw the trending topics. Pumping his fist in excitement, he thought, “This is perfect!”

With Shen Lang’s rising popularity, The Wandering Earth wouldn’t lack hype before its release. The theater screenings would increase, and the box office would perform better—at the very least, it wouldn’t flop. That was Guo Fan’s bottom line.

“But how does Shen Lang manage to spark dating rumors with everyone?”

“Actually, it’s not a bad thing. Should we pair him with Mai Mai? No, no—Mai Mai isn’t even an adult yet. Maybe in a few years… Wait, what am I even thinking?”

Guo Fan smacked his forehead, then tried calling Shen Lang—still no answer.

“Could the rumors online be true?”

The trending topics showed no signs of fading. Da Tian Tian noticed them after her assistant pointed them out.

Frowning, she wondered, “Would Xiao Lang really interfere in someone else’s relationship?”

Sighing softly, she put her phone down—her calls also went unanswered.

“No, I need to keep giving Xiao Lang resources!”

“Our relationship is more like a sponsor and sponsored arrangement…”

“Should we make it public?”

“No! That would hurt Xiao Lang’s career!”

Da Tian Tian dismissed the idea. She had high hopes for Shen Lang, betting that The Untamed would skyrocket his fame—just like Addicted had done for its leads two years prior. Next month, Guardian (another BL adaptation) would also air.

“I’ll keep securing resources for Xiao Lang!”

“And remind him not to get involved in other people’s relationships…”

“A fling with a co-star is one thing, but this is different.”

“Maybe I should introduce him to someone?”

The thought shocked her. Why am I even considering this?

Because Shen Lang is just that impressive?

That night, Da Tian Tian couldn’t sleep.

Meanwhile, Shen Lang slept soundly, waking up naturally the next morning.

Opening his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, bedsheets, and room decor—with no one else around—he felt disoriented. Where am I?

He tried recalling the previous night’s events, but his memory was hazy. Still, his gut told him something had happened.

After struggling to remember, he shook his head, got dressed, and stepped out of the room.

“Xiao Lang, you’re awake?”

Zhang Liangying, seeing him emerge, stood up from the couch and said warmly, “Go freshen up first. I’ll get you some hangover soup from the kitchen.”

“Liangying-jie, where am I…?”

“You got drunk last night. Don’t overthink it. You must have a headache…”

She sidestepped his question, gently pushing him toward the bathroom.

“What happened last night?”

Muttering to himself, Shen Lang decided not to dwell on it.

Even if something had happened, he didn’t lose out.

The only regret was not remembering it clearly. How great would it be to relive it with a clear mind?

Wait, Shen Lang—what kind of ‘Cao Cao’ behavior is this?

“Shen Lang, you need to quit drinking!”

Looking at his haggard reflection in the mirror, he made a firm decision: “Starting today—no more alcohol!”

“Ugh, alcohol ruins me!”

“Wait—no, it’s drinking that ruins me!”

“I quit!”

“From now on, if someone offers me a drink, I’ll say I need to protect my voice…”

“Xiao Lang, hurry up and wash your face. The hangover soup is ready. Come drink it and sober up. Really, you guys shouldn’t have forced yourselves to drink—then kept going after coming back. You and Qian Qian finished off several of my good bottles!”

Hearing Zhang Liangying’s words outside the door, Shen Lang froze. “Qian Qian was here too?”

But he truly couldn’t remember anything from last night.

After a quick wash, he walked out and asked, “Liangying-jie, what exactly happened last night?”

“What else? You two drunkards kept challenging each other to drink. Don’t tell me you thought something indecent happened?”

“Don’t get any wild ideas. That’s nonsense.”

“I’m a married woman—I wouldn’t do anything immoral.”

“Besides, both you and Qian Qian were completely wasted. Even if you wanted to do anything, could you have?”

“Alright, drink this hangover soup now.”

Shen Lang took the bowl and downed it in one gulp. Then he asked, “Where’s Yi Fei?”

“Still asleep. You two really went overboard with the drinking…”

“I thought you’d hold your liquor better, but after coming back, Qian Qian kept pushing you to drink. Why did you agree? Look at her—still knocked out.”

“Xiao Lang, when are you heading back to the set?”

The question snapped him back to reality. He had only taken two days off and was supposed to return to filming that morning—but the hangover ruined his plans.

“Crap, I need to call the crew…”

He searched for his phone, only to find it dead.

After turning it on, he immediately called the director, explaining that he had gotten drunk the night before but promised to return by evening.