Marrying the Rich Man's Ex-Brother - Chapter 6

How could the dog take away President Yan’s mourning item for that person…?

Upon arriving at the cemetery.

Bai Chi found Bai Xi’s tombstone with the guidance of the cemetery caretaker.

The middle-aged caretaker wore an expression of hesitation, after all, the name Bai Xi was far from common. It had been plastered across television and news for nearly half a month, making it difficult not to know who this young man was.

But… having worked at this cemetery for so long, this was the first time he had encountered someone coming to pay respects at their own grave.

Out of professional integrity, however, the caretaker said nothing. After leading Bai Chi to the spot, he turned and left.

Watching the staff member depart, Bai Chi casually glanced toward a nearby shrubbery.

Amid the dappled shadows of the trees, two paparazzi were crouched, clearly there to secretly photograph him.

In truth, Bai Chi had already noticed he was being tailed when he followed the caretaker into the cemetery.

After all, he was a top-tier actor who had spent a full decade outsmarting paparazzi. If he lacked even this basic counter-surveillance skill, he would have done a great disservice to all those who had once hounded him.

However, at this moment, Bai Chi had no intention of alerting them. He knew public opinion was a double-edged sword—extremely sharp. If he could carefully avoid its blade and wield it skillfully, it could instead become a powerful asset.

Withdrawing his gaze, Bai Chi’s eyes returned to the tombstone before him.

Though it was merely a cenotaph, it still served as a modest expression of Bai Chi’s gratitude and mourning for the original owner.

Uncertain whether the paparazzi had brought audio equipment, Bai Chi could only silently recite in his heart what he wished to say to the original soul.

“Thank you for giving me a second chance at life. Rest assured, I will live well on your behalf. I also hope your next life is filled with joy and happiness, free from such suffering.”

After placing the bouquet in his arms before the tombstone, Bai Chi unhesitatingly knelt down and knocked his head firmly three times against the ground.

In both his lifetimes, Bai Chi had only ever knelt during New Year celebrations or tomb-sweeping rituals to honor elders and ancestors. This kneeling before Bai Xi was the exception.

After all, Bai Xi had granted him a second life. To Bai Chi, he was no different from a rebirth parent. Thus, Bai Chi believed the other deserved this respect, and that he himself ought to offer it.

Rising from before the tombstone, Bai Chi pulled a lighter from his pocket and used a dedicated burn barrel to offer paper money and gold ingots to Bai Xi, murmuring softly as he shared many whispered words.

As the papers burned, smoke billowed up, somewhat choking. The original owner’s body was frail, and wearing a mask made breathing difficult in the stifling air.

After a moment’s thought, Bai Chi simply removed both his mask and sunglasses, revealing a face etched with solemn grief, allowing the paparazzi hidden in the bushes to snap away to their heart’s content.

“Bai Xi, if you can see all of this, please don’t blame me for leveraging our spotlight at a time like this. Believe me, I will clear your name.”

Bai Chi silently repeated these words in his heart, hoping the original soul would understand his actions.

Once all several bags of paper offerings had turned to ash, Bai Chi drove away from the cemetery, skillfully navigating mountain roads to shake off the pursuing paparazzi, pushing his Mini to perform like an off-road vehicle.

After leaving the cemetery mountain area, Bai Chi made a brief stop in the town where Bai Xi had once lived, had a simple meal of braised pork trotter rice, and then drove back home.

–

On Bai Chi’s return journey,

The news of him visiting the cemetery to pay respects at his own grave had already surged to the top of trending searches.

Paparazzi had captured high-definition close-up shots with long lenses, and the name on the tombstone was clearly visible—Bai Xi.

As the “climbing into bed” scandal was still unresolved, Bai Xi was currently a figure under intense public scrutiny, with every move capable of causing an uproar.

His previous suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalization had already stirred widespread discussion, and now this bizarre act of paying respects at his own grave sent netizens into a frenzy.

Netizens were largely divided into two camps: one consisted of staunch anti-fans who believed Bai Xi was shamelessly stirring up controversy for attention.

By visiting his own grave just as news of Bai Chi’s funeral emerged, he was clearly trying to ride on Bai Chi’s coattails!

I really wish Bai Xi would just stay lying in the grave and never get up again.

Hah, someone like him should just die. I can’t stand him wasting the Earth’s oxygen!

Can we stop reporting news about this trash? It’s obviously a publicity stunt—so damn annoying! I can’t even block it!

Sigh… The decent atmosphere in the domestic entertainment industry, which Bai Chi had worked so hard to cultivate, is about to be ruined again! Morals are declining, people’s hearts are growing cold—the industry is doomed! Some netizens even photoshopped a black-and-white memorial photo of Bai Xi and posted it under the super topic for the “climbing into bed” scandal, sending anti-fans into a frenzy.

He got what he asked for—Bai Xi sought death, and death he shall have!

Performing an online ritual here! Hope Bai Chi’s spirit manifests and takes Bai Xi with him!

Someone this shameless probably isn’t even worth the heavens’ attention—disgusting!

As the memorial photo spread widely across the internet, some netizens and bystanders who couldn’t stand it any longer finally spoke up in Bai Xi’s defense.

Photoshopping a memorial photo is really going too far. It’s not like Bai Xi committed murder or arson.

The truth about the ‘climbing into bed’ scandal hasn’t even come out yet. There’s no need to be so vicious…

Am I the only one who feels sorry for Bai Xi? Even if he did make a mistake, he doesn’t deserve to be hated like this!

Seeing the memorial photo gaining traction, anti-fans escalated their efforts by photoshopping a joint memorial photo of Bai Chi and Bai Xi, hoping to provoke Bai Chi’s fans into joining the attack on Bai Xi.

However, Bai Chi’s fans, true to their idol’s character, refused to jump to conclusions without knowing the full story. They didn’t want to tarnish Bai Chi’s reputation and even banded together to report and remove these joint memorial photos of Bai Chi and Bai Xi.

Sisters, let’s report and complain—don’t engage with those people.

The internet isn’t a lawless place. Forwarding such content over 500 times can lead to legal action.

Big Bai would never help you bully a junior—these rabid dogs are beyond ridiculous. After arriving home, Bai Chi browsed through the updates on Weibo and smiled approvingly at his fans’ organized and spontaneous actions.

Truly his fans—they never let him down.

–

Due to the original host’s weak physical condition,

The mere two-hour round-trip drive had already left Bai Chi feeling exhausted.

Seeing Xu Qing’s message saying he still had matters to discuss and probably wouldn’t be back until dinner time, Bai Chi put down his phone, hugged the little black pup, and crawled back under the covers for a nap.

However, just as Bai Chi drifted into dreamland, he was jolted awake by the intermittent sound of an electric drill, sometimes near and sometimes far.

The relentless “drill—drill—” noise grated on his nerves, making it impossible to fall back asleep.

Even after closing the window tightly and burying his head under the quilt, it was no use. Fuming, he got up to see what was going on outside.

The little black pup, still bleary-eyed, followed Bai Chi out. After circling their quadrangle courtyard, Bai Chi realized the noise was coming from his next-door neighbor’s renovation.

The ground outside the door had just been paved with cement, still wet and sticky.

In his rush to leave, Bai Chi had forgotten to leash the pup. The two carefully tread across the garden on makeshift wooden planks, intending to talk to the workers.

But the little black pup wasn’t watching where he was going and accidentally stepped into the wet cement, turning both front paws gray and soggy.

Bai Chi quickly grabbed the pup by the scruff of his neck and hauled him back onto the planks. However, he stumbled from the force and ended up stepping into the sticky cement himself.

Looking at his gray-stained flip-flops and once snow-white feet, Bai Chi could only laugh in frustration.

“Your big silly pup! Don’t go inside when we get home—I’ll wash your paws in the garden first, got it?”

The little black pup, now demoted from “good boy” to “big silly pup,” drooped his eyelids and let out a pitiful “whine—” while Bai Chi crouched down, picked up a fallen leaf, and tried to wipe his feet.

Just as the two were in a fluster, two figures emerged from the garden. A woman’s voice politely asked, “Hello, is there something we can help you with?”

Before Bai Chi could stand up, the grimy little black pup shot out like a black lightning bolt, eager to snuggle up to the pretty lady who was speaking.

Monica, who was somewhat afraid of dogs, was startled and instinctively hid behind her boss.

The pup couldn’t brake in time and solidly pounced on the living nightmare, Wu Yan, wagging his head and trying to cuddle with this human.

After landing on Wu Yan’s chest, the pup delightedly discovered that he quite liked this human’s scent. Though not a pretty sister, he was a handsome brother.

After affectionately nuzzling Wu Yan’s neck, the pup soon noticed a beautiful white flower pinned to the lapel of his suit, faintly emitting a delicate fragrance.

Naturally fond of all kinds of flowers and plants, the pup was instantly distracted. He lowered his head to sniff the flower.

His furry paw left a distinct gray cement print on the black suit over Wu Yan’s chest.

Confirming that the flower was a daisy—his daddy’s favorite—the pup took it upon himself to pluck the flower from the brother’s lapel with his teeth. Then, with the ease of an old friend, he patted Wu Yan’s chest with his paw, leaving several grayer prints, as if to say—”Hey bro! Good job!”

The little black pup holding the flower in its mouth immediately abandoned the brother who had “given” it the flower, strutting proudly back to Bai Chi while wagging its large black tail vigorously, its eyes brimming with pure joy and affection.

The pup’s beaming face might as well have been shouting in bold letters—”Daddy, I brought you a flower! Praise me, quick!”

Witnessing the entire scene, Monica felt the world spinning before her eyes, as if everything were about to collapse at any moment!

Oh heavens! It was bad enough that this dog had pounced on President Yan and dirtied his two-million-yuan suit!

But how could it have possibly taken the white daisy—the very flower President Yan had been using to mourn that person?!

Knowing all too well how merciless President Yan could be, Monica suddenly grew worried.

Not long ago, a flock of pigeons had taken up residence atop the corporate building. Though friendly and cute, they kept damaging the ornamental plants in the rooftop garden and leaving filthy droppings everywhere, much to the frustration of the staff and cleaning crew.

Later, on President Yan’s orders, those lively pigeons were all captured, sent to the cafeteria, and turned into golden-brown roasted pigeons and tender, savory pigeon soup.

Remembering that company pigeon feast, Monica felt a chill run down her spine. This dog was so adorable—surely President Yan wouldn’t… eat it, would he?

Looking at the adorable, tail-wagging pup in front of her, Monica mustered her courage. In her high heels, she dashed forward and spread her arms protectively in front of Bai Chi and the little black pup, like a mother hen shielding her chicks.

“President Yan!” Monica spoke with forced bravery, her tone firm and resolute, as though she had something of grave importance to say to her boss.

Wu Yan frowned slightly, puzzled. “Hm?”

Clenching her fists, Monica declared with conviction, “President Yan! The dog is so cute! You absolutely must not eat it!”

Wu Yan: “……………”

What the hell—eat the dog?

Wu Yan, who had always considered his secretary highly competent, suddenly felt that maybe Monica needed some time off—perhaps a trip to the hospital for a thorough check-up of her brain.